Experiences of parents with a son or daughter suffering from schizophrenia

Abstract

Parents of 22 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, and receiving care in a secure forensic setting, were interviewed to elicit their views on the causes of the disorder, the emotional burden and the helpfulness of others when seeking support. Pathological parenting theories of causation were rated the least important, and biological and life-event models the most. Stress, loss and fear were the most commonly reported reactions. Violence, withdrawal and verbal aggression were most often identified as behaviours causing difficulty. Many participants felt guilt, usually in the absence of being blamed. Family members and self-help groups were recalled as being of most help, and professional staff were considered to be of least help. Parenting a son or daughter with schizophrenia frequently causes considerable emotional distress, often with perception of unhelpful responses from professional staff. Parents often blame themselves for the disorder, even when not blamed by others. Guilt does not appear to arise from belief in a pathological parenting model of schizophrenia. Factors contributing to self-blame in this group are discussed, together with suggestions for appropriate therapeutic intervention.

Şi̇zofreni̇ Hastalarina Bakim Veren Kadinlarin Yaşadiklari Güçlükleri̇n Değerlendi̇ri̇lmesi̇: Ni̇tel Bi̇r Araştirma

“…Bu durum bakım verenlerin bakım verme sürecinde yaşadıkları güçlüklerin artmasına neden olmaktadır. Bunların yanısıra literatürde bakım verme sürecinde yüke neden olan ve stres yaratan etkenler, hastalığın semptomları, damgalanma, aile içi ilişkilerde yaşanan sorunlar, hastanın durumuyla ilişkili olarak yaşanan belirsizlik, suçluluk duygusu olarak belirtilmektedir (Öztürk, 2001;Provencher ve Mueser, 1997;Ferriter ve Huband, 2003;Gülseren, 2002;Murray-Swank vd., 2007).…”

The role and experiences of family members during the rehabilitation of mentally ill offenders

“…Study participants were hopeful for an improved quality of life for their relative in the future, which was an important source of strength. Family members believed that early and suitable psychiatric treatment could prevent violent behaviours and criminal offences, signifying that family members of mentally ill offenders often want increased support from forensic services and organisations (James, 1996: MacInnes andWatson, 2002;Ferriter and Huband, 2003;Pearson and Tsang, 2004;Nordström et al, 2006;Absalom-Hornby et al, 2011).…”

“…Family members that are providing support to a mentally ill relative experience emotional stress, which is often enhanced if the relative is also involved in criminal activities (Marsh and Johnson, 1997;Ferriter and Huband, 2003). Families of mentally ill individuals without a criminal record face burdens such as (1) dealing with different emotions (e.g.…”

“…Although most family members feel unprepared, they continue to support their mentally ill relative during their rehabilitation process (Loukissa, 1995;Marsh and Johnson, 1997;Wynaden, 2007). Families do not see themselves as controlling and remain protective towards their relative, for example by not involving the police if the person is violent (Ferriter and Huband, 2003;Nordström et al, 2006). However, a recent study about the experiences of family members of persons subjected to Electronic Monitoring indicated that family members sometimes see themselves as assistants, social workers and "controllers" of their relative (Vanhaelmeersch and Vander Beken, 2014).…”

“I screamed for help”: A single case study of one sister’s experiences with formal psychiatric care when her brother became mentally ill

“…In the literature, the relationship between staff and family members is described as important [1,2]. However, empirical studies show that mental health staff often ignore family members' knowledge and tend to avoid giving information about the patient's state [3]. For example, in Saunders and Byrne's [4] investigation, family members expressed clearly that they wished to be involved in the planning of their ill relative's treatment.…”