IntroductionThe ability to adapt is a core aspect of daily human life. Recent models and theories... more IntroductionThe ability to adapt is a core aspect of daily human life. Recent models and theories emphasize its essential role for health and well-being. It concerns the perceived ability to readjust and actively deal with the psychosocial consequences of challenging events. While many questionnaires measure competences related to adaptability to specific conditions, a scale that measures a generic sense of the ability to adapt is lacking. The aim of the present study is to introduce the Generic Sense of Ability to Adapt Scale (GSAAS) and to examine its psychometric properties.MethodsThe article describes two sub-studies. In the first study the items of the GSAAS were generated and field-tested in a cross-sectional non-clinical sample using item analysis, exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis.ResultsThis resulted in a 10-item questionnaire measuring a single dimension with good reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.87). In the second study the 10-item scale was validated using a cr...
The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version.Children whose p... more The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version.Children whose parents have mental illnesses are among the most vulnerable in our communities. There is however, much that can be done to prevent or mitigate the impact of a parent’s illness on children. Notwithstanding the availability of several evidence-based interventions, efforts to support these children have been limited by a lack of adequate support structures. Major service reorientation is required to better meet the needs of these children and their families. This editorial provides recommendations for practice, organisational and systems change
Journal of Social Intervention: Theory and Practice
Many children with mild intellectual disabilities who have parents with mental health concerns su... more Many children with mild intellectual disabilities who have parents with mental health concerns suffer from social-emotional problems. The ‘You are Okay’ program is the first to support these children and their parents. An effect study showed first promising results in decreasing children’s emotional and behavioural problems. The current study was conducted to evaluate the intervention qualitatively using experiences of the participants. A combination of questionnaires administered to 28 children and fourteen parents and in-depth interviews with three children, two parents and eight professionals were used to evaluate the experiences of the participants. Children, parents and professionals viewed ‘You are Okay,’ especially its psychoeducation, mutual recognition, and support, as valuable and useful. However, carefully matching children in support groups and screening for pre-conditions seems to be essential for successful participation. This study concluded that ‘You are Okay’ suppo...
Background Children of parents with a mental illness are at high risk of developing a mental diso... more Background Children of parents with a mental illness are at high risk of developing a mental disorder as a result of transgenerational transmission. Without effective intervention, they could form the next generation of psychiatric patients. ChildTalks+ is a preventive intervention involving four structured psychoeducational sessions designed for parents affected by a mental disorder and their children. Its aim is to reduce the risk of mental disorders in children of parents with mental illness. This study draws on our clinical practice and involves a group of patients with eating disorders. The aim of the project, which will run in the Czech Republic, is to evaluate the effectiveness of ChildTalks+ methodology. Methods ChildTalks+ therapists (professionals from health, social, and educational facilities) will recruit 66 families where a parent is treated for a mental disorder and the family includes children aged 6–18. Paired allocation into an intervention group (N = 33) and a con...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Objective: This study is an evaluation of patients in mental health care who have undertaken trea... more Objective: This study is an evaluation of patients in mental health care who have undertaken treatment with an integrated family approach. The treatment focuses on the mental disorders of patients, their role as parents, the development of their young children, and family relationships. The treatment was conducted by professionals from an adult and a child mental health service in the Netherlands. The aim of the study was to identify the key elements and processes of this approach in order to develop a theoretical model. Background: Parental mental disorders have an impact on parenting and child development. To stop detrimental cascade effects and prevent parents and children from being caught up in the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology, a family approach in mental health care is needed. Methods: A qualitative design was adopted using thematic analysis. Data were collected through 18 interviews with patients. The themes in the interviews were which outcomes the patie...
According to new Norwegian laws, mental healthcare for adults are obligated to assess all patient... more According to new Norwegian laws, mental healthcare for adults are obligated to assess all patients who are parents and to act on their children's needs. This article describes the study protocol of implementing the interventions Family Assessment and Child Talks for children of patients in the adult psychiatry of the University Hospital of Northern Norway. The project is designed to evaluate the process of changes in clinical practice due to the implementation of two interventions. The interventions to be implemented are a standardised Family Assessment Form and the intervention called Child Talks. The family assessment form is an intervention to identify children of mentally ill parents and their needs. The intervention Child Talks is a health-promoting and preventive intervention where the mental health workers talk with the family about the situation of the children and their needs. There are two groups of participants in this study: (1) mental health workers in the clinic (N...
Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion, 2014
All children require responsive, nurturing, and loving relationships, particularly in their early... more All children require responsive, nurturing, and loving relationships, particularly in their early years. These relationships impact on children's development, both physiologically and psychologically. Given the importance of the parent-child relationship and the challenges all parents face, it is essential that parents are provided with support in providing supportive environments to their children. At the same time, parents who have a mental illness face the same demands that all parents do, in addition to managing their mental illness. This entry considers the various risk and protective factors associated for children, aged 5-12, whose parent has a mental illness. Interventions that promote positive determinants on children's well-being and/or aim to reduce risk factors for families will also be presented. This entry might be read in conjunction with another entry in this edition, which focuses on adolescents whose parent has a mental illness.
Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion, 2014
Family life provides the context for the development of most youth. The age-appropriate tasks of ... more Family life provides the context for the development of most youth. The age-appropriate tasks of adolescence, including the development of significant peer relationships, formation of identity, and navigation of opportunities for separation and independent adult functioning, emerge in the context of home, family, and parent-child relationships. At best, parents meet the needs of youth for basic care; safety; emotional warmth; the encouragement of learning, guidance, and limit-setting; and a stable family life (Brockington et al., 2011). When parents' functioning is compromised, the needs of youth may not be well met. Life stressors, unfortunate circumstances, and acute or chronic illness may undermine even the most devoted, skilled parent's efforts to parent well. The focus of this entry is parental mental illness, its impact on youth development, and strategies for promoting healthy development in youth when a parent is emotionally ill.
ObjectiveA multiple case-study in which each case was evaluated by adult and child mental health ... more ObjectiveA multiple case-study in which each case was evaluated by adult and child mental health professionals who used an integrated family approach in their treatments. In this approach, treatment focuses on the mental disorders of the parents as well as on the development of the young child and family relationships. This study evaluated the experiences of professionals from adult and child mental health services using this approach. The aim of the study is identifying key elements of this approach, processes involved in treatment, and barriers to its success, with the aim of contributing to the development of practice based integrated mental health care for the whole family.BackgroundParental mental disorders have an impact on parenting and child development. To stop detrimental cascade effects and prevent parent and child from being caught up in the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology, an integrated family approach in mental health care is needed. Methods: A qualit...
The 'You are okay'-program. Description: This file contains detailed information about th... more The 'You are okay'-program. Description: This file contains detailed information about the specialised developed program, 'You are okay,' including the methods and themes. (DOC 24 kb)
Some clinicians consider children whose parents have a mental illness to be a relatively homogene... more Some clinicians consider children whose parents have a mental illness to be a relatively homogeneous group, with the same needs and issues (Steer et al., 2011). The consequence of such an assumption is that youth are then grouped together and provided with the same intervention, such as peer support groups (Reupert et al., 2012). Grouping children together for the purposes of intervention may or may not be appropriate. However, we know that the risk exposure for children is not uniform; instead there are multiple influences that affect children’s developmental outcomes, influences from within them, and from their parents, their family, and the community in which they live and the services they have access to. This chapter will consider whether, and in what way, a parent's mental illness diagnosis may affect children's well-being and mental health. Such information is important to identify the children at greatest risk of adverse outcomes, ensure that intervention goals meet the needs of participants, and ensure that appropriate participants are selected for different interventions. Moreover, such information may also allow us to consider whether a public health approach is needed for all children whose parents have a mental illness and whether specific programs are needed for different groups of children, using a specific eligibility criterion such as their parent's mental illness diagnosis.
IntroductionThe ability to adapt is a core aspect of daily human life. Recent models and theories... more IntroductionThe ability to adapt is a core aspect of daily human life. Recent models and theories emphasize its essential role for health and well-being. It concerns the perceived ability to readjust and actively deal with the psychosocial consequences of challenging events. While many questionnaires measure competences related to adaptability to specific conditions, a scale that measures a generic sense of the ability to adapt is lacking. The aim of the present study is to introduce the Generic Sense of Ability to Adapt Scale (GSAAS) and to examine its psychometric properties.MethodsThe article describes two sub-studies. In the first study the items of the GSAAS were generated and field-tested in a cross-sectional non-clinical sample using item analysis, exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis.ResultsThis resulted in a 10-item questionnaire measuring a single dimension with good reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.87). In the second study the 10-item scale was validated using a cr...
The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version.Children whose p... more The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version.Children whose parents have mental illnesses are among the most vulnerable in our communities. There is however, much that can be done to prevent or mitigate the impact of a parent’s illness on children. Notwithstanding the availability of several evidence-based interventions, efforts to support these children have been limited by a lack of adequate support structures. Major service reorientation is required to better meet the needs of these children and their families. This editorial provides recommendations for practice, organisational and systems change
Journal of Social Intervention: Theory and Practice
Many children with mild intellectual disabilities who have parents with mental health concerns su... more Many children with mild intellectual disabilities who have parents with mental health concerns suffer from social-emotional problems. The ‘You are Okay’ program is the first to support these children and their parents. An effect study showed first promising results in decreasing children’s emotional and behavioural problems. The current study was conducted to evaluate the intervention qualitatively using experiences of the participants. A combination of questionnaires administered to 28 children and fourteen parents and in-depth interviews with three children, two parents and eight professionals were used to evaluate the experiences of the participants. Children, parents and professionals viewed ‘You are Okay,’ especially its psychoeducation, mutual recognition, and support, as valuable and useful. However, carefully matching children in support groups and screening for pre-conditions seems to be essential for successful participation. This study concluded that ‘You are Okay’ suppo...
Background Children of parents with a mental illness are at high risk of developing a mental diso... more Background Children of parents with a mental illness are at high risk of developing a mental disorder as a result of transgenerational transmission. Without effective intervention, they could form the next generation of psychiatric patients. ChildTalks+ is a preventive intervention involving four structured psychoeducational sessions designed for parents affected by a mental disorder and their children. Its aim is to reduce the risk of mental disorders in children of parents with mental illness. This study draws on our clinical practice and involves a group of patients with eating disorders. The aim of the project, which will run in the Czech Republic, is to evaluate the effectiveness of ChildTalks+ methodology. Methods ChildTalks+ therapists (professionals from health, social, and educational facilities) will recruit 66 families where a parent is treated for a mental disorder and the family includes children aged 6–18. Paired allocation into an intervention group (N = 33) and a con...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Objective: This study is an evaluation of patients in mental health care who have undertaken trea... more Objective: This study is an evaluation of patients in mental health care who have undertaken treatment with an integrated family approach. The treatment focuses on the mental disorders of patients, their role as parents, the development of their young children, and family relationships. The treatment was conducted by professionals from an adult and a child mental health service in the Netherlands. The aim of the study was to identify the key elements and processes of this approach in order to develop a theoretical model. Background: Parental mental disorders have an impact on parenting and child development. To stop detrimental cascade effects and prevent parents and children from being caught up in the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology, a family approach in mental health care is needed. Methods: A qualitative design was adopted using thematic analysis. Data were collected through 18 interviews with patients. The themes in the interviews were which outcomes the patie...
According to new Norwegian laws, mental healthcare for adults are obligated to assess all patient... more According to new Norwegian laws, mental healthcare for adults are obligated to assess all patients who are parents and to act on their children's needs. This article describes the study protocol of implementing the interventions Family Assessment and Child Talks for children of patients in the adult psychiatry of the University Hospital of Northern Norway. The project is designed to evaluate the process of changes in clinical practice due to the implementation of two interventions. The interventions to be implemented are a standardised Family Assessment Form and the intervention called Child Talks. The family assessment form is an intervention to identify children of mentally ill parents and their needs. The intervention Child Talks is a health-promoting and preventive intervention where the mental health workers talk with the family about the situation of the children and their needs. There are two groups of participants in this study: (1) mental health workers in the clinic (N...
Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion, 2014
All children require responsive, nurturing, and loving relationships, particularly in their early... more All children require responsive, nurturing, and loving relationships, particularly in their early years. These relationships impact on children's development, both physiologically and psychologically. Given the importance of the parent-child relationship and the challenges all parents face, it is essential that parents are provided with support in providing supportive environments to their children. At the same time, parents who have a mental illness face the same demands that all parents do, in addition to managing their mental illness. This entry considers the various risk and protective factors associated for children, aged 5-12, whose parent has a mental illness. Interventions that promote positive determinants on children's well-being and/or aim to reduce risk factors for families will also be presented. This entry might be read in conjunction with another entry in this edition, which focuses on adolescents whose parent has a mental illness.
Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion, 2014
Family life provides the context for the development of most youth. The age-appropriate tasks of ... more Family life provides the context for the development of most youth. The age-appropriate tasks of adolescence, including the development of significant peer relationships, formation of identity, and navigation of opportunities for separation and independent adult functioning, emerge in the context of home, family, and parent-child relationships. At best, parents meet the needs of youth for basic care; safety; emotional warmth; the encouragement of learning, guidance, and limit-setting; and a stable family life (Brockington et al., 2011). When parents' functioning is compromised, the needs of youth may not be well met. Life stressors, unfortunate circumstances, and acute or chronic illness may undermine even the most devoted, skilled parent's efforts to parent well. The focus of this entry is parental mental illness, its impact on youth development, and strategies for promoting healthy development in youth when a parent is emotionally ill.
ObjectiveA multiple case-study in which each case was evaluated by adult and child mental health ... more ObjectiveA multiple case-study in which each case was evaluated by adult and child mental health professionals who used an integrated family approach in their treatments. In this approach, treatment focuses on the mental disorders of the parents as well as on the development of the young child and family relationships. This study evaluated the experiences of professionals from adult and child mental health services using this approach. The aim of the study is identifying key elements of this approach, processes involved in treatment, and barriers to its success, with the aim of contributing to the development of practice based integrated mental health care for the whole family.BackgroundParental mental disorders have an impact on parenting and child development. To stop detrimental cascade effects and prevent parent and child from being caught up in the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology, an integrated family approach in mental health care is needed. Methods: A qualit...
The 'You are okay'-program. Description: This file contains detailed information about th... more The 'You are okay'-program. Description: This file contains detailed information about the specialised developed program, 'You are okay,' including the methods and themes. (DOC 24 kb)
Some clinicians consider children whose parents have a mental illness to be a relatively homogene... more Some clinicians consider children whose parents have a mental illness to be a relatively homogeneous group, with the same needs and issues (Steer et al., 2011). The consequence of such an assumption is that youth are then grouped together and provided with the same intervention, such as peer support groups (Reupert et al., 2012). Grouping children together for the purposes of intervention may or may not be appropriate. However, we know that the risk exposure for children is not uniform; instead there are multiple influences that affect children’s developmental outcomes, influences from within them, and from their parents, their family, and the community in which they live and the services they have access to. This chapter will consider whether, and in what way, a parent's mental illness diagnosis may affect children's well-being and mental health. Such information is important to identify the children at greatest risk of adverse outcomes, ensure that intervention goals meet the needs of participants, and ensure that appropriate participants are selected for different interventions. Moreover, such information may also allow us to consider whether a public health approach is needed for all children whose parents have a mental illness and whether specific programs are needed for different groups of children, using a specific eligibility criterion such as their parent's mental illness diagnosis.
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