Workplace Support for Mental Health Workers Who Are Parents: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

BackgroundMental health workers are subject to high levels of occupational stress which is associated with poorer health and wellbeing and impaired patient outcomes. For individuals operating in high stress environments, reducing challenge at home, in particular around parenting, has been found to generalize into improvements in the professional domain. The present study sought to investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of brief targeted workplace intervention to support workers in terms of their parental role.Design/MethodologyAn uncontrolled evaluation of a series of three-session parenting-focused courses delivered to employees of a large Mental Health Trust. A pre-post-follow-up design was used to investigate effects on outcomes including parenting practice and experience, wellbeing, stress, and occupational self-efficacy. Intervention feasibility and acceptably was also evaluated.FindingsData from 15 participants who completed measures pre-post indicates the courses were associated with improved parenting practice and experience at a p < 0.005 level. Improvements were reported at 6-month follow up. Participant satisfaction and course acceptability was highly rated by 100% of participants.

Development of an intervention to support parents receiving treatment in psychiatric inpatient hospital using participatory design methods

“…As such, it combines components that are present within many community-delivered parenting interventions, with new components designed for a) parents who experience mental health difficulties and b) parents who specifically experience anxiety. In a randomised controlled trial (RCT), 16% fewer anxiety symptoms were reported in children whose parents were randomised to receive the course, compared to a control group ( 12 )a large (N>1800) national RCT ( 13 , 14 ) Furthermore, the research team has a track record in effectively adapting the RCC course for other contexts – it has been used by them as the foundation for an intervention designed to support NHS mental health workers who were parents ( 15 ).…”