Navigating in an unpredictable daily life: a metasynthesis on children's experiences living with a parent with severe mental illness

Abstract

A large group of individuals suffering from mental illness are parents living with their children. These children are invisible in the health care even though at risk for illhealth. The aim of this metasynthesis was to advance knowledge of how children of parents with mental illness experience their lives, thus contributing to the evidence of this phenomenon. The metasynthesis is following Sandelowski and Barroso's guidelines. Literature searches covering the years 2000 to 2013 resulted in 22 reports which were synthesised into the theme 'navigating in an unpredictable everyday life' and the metaphor compass. Children of parents with mental illness irrespective of age are responsible, loving and worrying children who want to do everything to help and support. Children feel shame when the parent behaves differently, and they conceal their family life being afraid of stigmatisation and bullying. When their parent becomes ill, they distance to protect themselves. The children cope through information, knowledge, frankness and trustful relationships. These children need support from healthcare services because they subjugate own needs in favour of the parental needs, they should be encouraged to talk about their family situation, and especially, young children should to be child-like, playing and seeing friends.

Families living with parental mental illness and their experiences of family interventions

“…The children in our study used various strategies, such as withdrawing to their rooms, arguing with their parents or hugging and comforting them, as reported earlier, in trying to handle the parent's disruptive, unstable behaviour at home (Fjone, Ytterhus, & Almvik, 2009;Dam & Hall, 2016). However, a key component in preventing the transmission of the mental illness to the offspring is to include psychoeducation about the parental mental illness ).…”

Children with ill parents: extent and nature of caring activities

“…Lack of access to formal care such as home‐based services, or informal care within the family or network, was other significant factors described in several studies (). Essentially, children were placed into the role of caring when there were no other alternatives .…”

Experiences of adults who as children lived with a parent experiencing mental illness in a small‐scale society : A Qualitative study

“…The family tries to protect the ill member because they love them. As mental illness is often unpredictable (Dam & Hall, 2016;Keen & Lakeman, 2008), and as shown in this study, not talked about, but concealed, the children of these families experience adverse outcomes.…”

“…Both family and children may want to keep the mental illness a secret (Dam & Hall, ; Grove et al., ). However, the secrecy might further feelings of stigma, shame, self‐blaming and problems with self‐identity (Dam & Hall, ; Murphy, Peters, Wilkes, & Jackson, ; Tanner, ). The above‐mentioned research as well as other studies (Bee et al., ; Foster, ; Grove et al., ) document that life for children living with a parent experiencing mental illness is well investigated in larger societies.…”

“…Lack of talking about the parents' mental illness is also well documented. Both family and children may want to keep the mental illness a secret (Dam & Hall, 2016;Grove et al, 2015). However, the secrecy might further feelings of stigma, shame, self-blaming and problems with self-identity (Dam & Hall, 2016;Murphy, Peters, Wilkes, & Jackson, 2016;Tanner, 2000).…”