Family Functioning and Health-Related Quality of Life in Parents of Children with Mental Illness

Abstract

Previous research suggests that family dysfunction may be related to lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in parent caregivers, but it is unknown if this association exists in the context of child mental illness. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to compare HRQoL between parent caregivers and Canadian population norms using the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36); examine associations between family functioning and parental HRQoL; and investigate whether child and parental factors moderate associations between family functioning and parental HRQoL. Cross-sectional data were collected from children receiving mental healthcare at a pediatric hospital and their parents ( n = 97). Sample mean SF-36 scores were compared to Canadian population norms using t-tests and effect sizes were calculated. Multiple regression was used to evaluate associations between family functioning and parental physical and mental HRQoL, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical covariates. Proposed moderators, including child age, sex, and externalizing disorder, and parental psychological distress, were tested as product-term interactions. Parents had significantly lower physical and mental HRQoL versus Canadian norms in most domains of the SF-36, and in the physical and mental component summary scores. Family functioning was not associated with parental physical HRQoL. However, lower family functioning predicted lower parental mental HRQoL. Tested variables did not moderate associations between family functioning and parental HRQoL. These findings support the uptake of approaches that strive for collaboration among healthcare providers, children, and their families (i.e., family-centered care) in child psychiatry settings. Future research should explore possible mediators and moderators of these associations.

Structural Equation Model for Social Support and Quality of Life Among Individuals With Mental Health Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…This study offers several implications for mental health treatment and interventions. First, given the outpatient nature of treatment where patients continue to work and carry out daily tasks alongside their therapy appointments, and considering the long-term and often lifelong nature of mental health treatment, it is crucial to provide stable and lifelong sources of social support such as family-based support, which has been shown to have a substantial impact on treatment outcomes [ 53 , 54 ]. Family-based interventions should be standardized to suit the Vietnamese context, based on successes and challenges in countries that have adopted social support using prior standardized frameworks [ 14 , 55 , 56 ].…”

Caregiving experiences of primary family caregivers caring for family members affected by COVID‐19 during home isolation: A phenomenology study

“…They have higher incidences of anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep problems, and lower social engagement (Beach et al, 2021). Caregiving challenges are associated with caregiver psychological distress and quality of life, in addition to emotional experiences (Reed et al, 2023). Sudden lifestyle changes, conflicting responsibilities, and reduced support may contribute to caregiver emotional problems (Tang et al, 2021).…”

“…Sudden lifestyle changes, conflicting responsibilities, and reduced support may contribute to caregiver emotional problems (Tang et al, 2021). Specifically, lower family functioning predicted poorer caregiver mental Health-Related Quality of Life (Reed et al, 2023). Maintaining stable daily family routines is crucial for psychological well-being during a pandemic (Wisner et al, 2018).…”

Validating the Ontario Child Health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales‐Brief Version (OCHS‐EBS‐B) in children with chronic physical illness

“…Physical–mental comorbidity often does not affect a child insolation—negative effects permeate the health and well‐being of members of the family. For instance, parents and siblings of children with physical–mental comorbidity have poorer mental health and quality of life compared to population norms (Qureshi et al, 2022; Reed et al, 2023). Given the physical, mental and psychosocial health impacts experienced by these children, the need to integrate physical and mental health services within pediatric settings is pressing (Das et al, 2016; Fazel et al, 2021; Schwartz & Feudtner, 2019).…”