RESEARCH WEEKLY: The challenges of parenting with SMI By Shanti Silver (September 20, 2023) Approximately 4% of parents in the United States live with a serious mental illness. While there has been a growing awareness of the unique challenges of parental SMI, research into these challenges has mostly centered around the experiences of children and other family members impacted by a parent’s SMI. However, research into the needs of parents with SMI is also important, as parental needs are often left unaddressed by support services. A recent study from “Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review” explored experiences of parenting with SMI across several studies. Based on parents’ experiences, the authors recommend helping parents to process feelings of guilt and providing parent-specific support services. Methods  There were 29 studies included in this review. These studies were conducted across 14 different countries from 1995 to 2022. The perspectives of 562 parents with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, or other psychotic disorders were included across the studies. Challenges faced by parents with SMI Many parents described how symptoms of their SMI, such as delusions and cognitive disorganization, as well as medication side-effects such as fatigue and brain fog, made it difficult for them to parent their children the way they wanted. Parents described the various impacts of their symptoms saying, “sometimes I would forget to bath[e] them for 4 or 5 days,” and “regardless of how I loved my [child] I had thoughts of hurting her, so I have to put her down and I couldn’t understand why I had these thoughts.” Many parents described how their children were sometimes forced to assume the role of caretaker. One parent described this, saying, “it’s almost like sometimes I am the child, and he’s the parent.” Many parents felt guilt, shame, and fear about the impact of their SMI on their child’s mental health and development. However, parents also described how their children provided them with a source of hope and fulfillment in their lives. Barriers to accessing services Some parents attempted to keep custody of their children by hiding their mental illness, with one parent saying, “I didn’t want to go to a psychiatrist, because I thought he would lock me up, and I wanted to raise my kids.” Other parents were afraid of losing acceptance from their community if their mental illness was discovered, as one parent described how other mothers told their children not to play with her child "because her mother was crazy.” Parents also expressed how they wanted help from healthcare providers and peer support groups who had lived experience as parents or with SMI. Implications Based on responses from parents, the authors had several recommendations for healthcare providers including providing psychoeducation to help reduce guilt and stigma for parents, providing respite care for children, and being sensitive to parental fears of social service involvement. The authors also recommend that policy makers work to ensure support services receive adequate funding. Reference Harries, C. I., Smith, D. M., Gregg, L., & Wittkowski, A. (June 2023). Parenting and serious mental illness (SMI): A systematic review and Metasynthesis. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 26. Shanti Silver is a research associate at Treatment Advocacy Center. View as Webpage To receive Research Weekly directly in your email inbox on a weekly basis, click here. Questions? Contact us at [email protected] Research Weekly is a summary published as a public service of Treatment Advocacy Center and does not necessarily reflect the findings or positions of the organization or its staff. Full access to research summarized may require a fee or paid subscription to the publications. Treatment Advocacy Center does not solicit or accept funds from pharmaceutical companies. Treatment Advocacy Center | 200 N Glebe Rd, Ste 801, Arlington, VA 22203 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!