The Children of Mentally Ill Parents

Abstract

Preventive measures for children of mentally ill parents urgently need improvement. In this article, positively evaluated programs of preventive measures are discussed. Essential prerequisites for success include appropriate, specialized treatment of the parental illness, psychoeducative measures, and special support (e.g. self-help groups) as indicated by the family's particular needs.

Unemployment, Parental Distress and Youth Emotional Well-Being: The Moderation Roles of Parent–Youth Relationship and Financial Deprivation

“…Available evidence substantiates the model suggesting that parental distress is associated with increased probability of youth developing mental health problems (18,(27)(28)(29). Moreover, according to the Family Stress Model, the negative intergenerational impact on well-being is affected by strain in the parent-child relationship (30,31).…”

What Are the Challenges Involved in the Prevention of Depression in Schools?

“…Mattejat and Remschmidt (2008), based on the selective literature review, suggested several mechanisms mainly focused on the factors related to the parent-child relationship. For instance, depression may result in alteration of parental behaviours decreasing the quality of parenting.…”

“…These alterations may take a different form depending on the developmental stage of the child. For example, children in the kindergarten and elementary school years may be affected by reduced verbal communication or mother's difficulty to control children's behaviour and boundaries (Mattejat and Remschmidt 2008). Whereas older children and young people may be forced to take over tasks and responsibilities of their parents (Bparentification^), which leads to attenuated rolemodel function of the parents (Mattejat and Remschmidt 2008).…”

“…For example, children in the kindergarten and elementary school years may be affected by reduced verbal communication or mother's difficulty to control children's behaviour and boundaries (Mattejat and Remschmidt 2008). Whereas older children and young people may be forced to take over tasks and responsibilities of their parents (Bparentification^), which leads to attenuated rolemodel function of the parents (Mattejat and Remschmidt 2008). There are also risk factors that may affect the child/ young person throughout the entire course of development, for instance, parents with mental health problems are at greater risk of being exposed to sociocultural and socioeconomic risk factors including poverty, inadequate housing, marginal social status and cultural discrimination (Mattejat and Remschmidt 2008).…”

“…Thus, it is essential to understand the subjective dimension of the relationship between parental and offspring depression, focusing on both protective and risk factors, particularly on those that are modifiable, such as parenting practices or mental health literacy (Mattejat and Remschmidt 2008). It is also crucial to understand how these multiple factors interact and increase the vulnerability or enhance resilience of young people in order to design an effective preventative intervention (Mattejat and Remschmidt 2008).…”