What roles do male partners play in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness? A qualitative secondary analysis

Abstract

Background Mothers who live with mental illness face diverse challenges. Research suggests that partner support or otherwise is likely to have a crucial influence on mothers’ abilities to manage these challenges, yet little is known about how this plays out. In this study, we aimed to explore the roles played by male partners in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness. Methods We conducted a qualitative secondary analysis using interview data collected from 18 participants in two previous qualitative studies. Both studies focused on the mothering experiences of women who lived with mental illness. In both studies, the importance of male partners was striking. The data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. Results The roles of partners in women’s experiences of mothering were multiple and dynamic, with each male partner playing a unique combination of roles. These included: facilitator; teammate; unfulfilled potential; distraction; dismantler, and threat to child. Roles were influenced by: mothers’ interpretations; partners' behaviors, characteristics and circumstances; the family’s living and custody arrangements; mothers’ active management strategies; and a range of external controls and supports. Conclusions Health professionals need to consider the complex roles partners play. This crucial aspect of mothers’ social environments can be optimized by directly supporting and enabling partners themselves, and by supporting mothers to actively shape their partners’ roles.

Living with parental mental illness is like a roller coaster: Reflections on children's lifeworld in the family setting

“…However, what this study finds is that it can be challenging when the role of caregiving or parenting from the other partner without mental illness is considered within the context of the families' separate living arrangements. Indeed, as with the previous studies (Awram et al, 2017;Beard et al, 2019), there are good days where the other partner without mental illness support to pay for the parent's medications, cover hospital bills, attends PTA, among others. The risk here is in overstating the supportive role by the partner without mental illness especially when the families are separated.…”

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Improving treatment of women with schizophrenia: a review of the recent literature

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