RESEARCH WEEKLY: Women, Serious Mental Illness and Family
By Kelli South
Women with serious mental illness face unique challenges related to the intersection of their illness and gender. This is true in many aspects of their daily lives, including relationships with family members, according to a study published last week in Family Relations.
Qualitative interviews with women
Researchers from Fielding Graduate University conducted interviews with 20 women who have serious mental illness, focusing specifically on their relationships with their families. The women included in the study were recruited from a psychosocial rehabilitation facility in the northeastern United States. The study aimed to capture some of the complexities of familial relationships for women with serious mental illness through a qualitative interview process. Researchers looked for themes across the interviews to determine some of the specific challenges this group of women face. The study is limited given the small sample size of 20 people, but still can provide valuable insight into the experiences of women with serious mental illness.
Emergent themes
The study identified several major themes that emerged during the interview process. One major issue that came up was what the authors called the “disacknowledge” theme. It refers to the lack of acknowledgement of the serious mental illness by some of the women’s families. This included denying the illness or avoiding discussion of the illness, which often led the women to feel rejected by their families. This lack of acknowledgement seemed to stem from several sources, including fear and lack of understanding, and led one woman to cut ties with her family and others to have worsened mental health outcomes.
Additionally, two contradicting themes emerged: over-expectations and under-expectations by family members. For some women, particularly those whose families also failed to acknowledge their illness, the family members tended to have unrealistic expectations of the woman’s capabilities. In some cases, these women were expected to fulfil a caregiver role in the family that they did not feel they could maintain due to their illness. This is an example of the expectations and social norms that often lead women to be cast in the role of caregiver, which, in this case, compounds with the woman’s serious mental illness and creates even greater issues. Other women faced the opposite issue; their families tended to underestimate their capabilities because of their illness. This lack of confidence of behalf of the family members contributed to a sense of helplessness and hindered the women’s path to recovery and self-esteem.
Implications
The authors identify areas where mental health providers can intervene to assist in resolving some of these familial conflicts. Specifically, the authors ask that mental health providers be aware of the unique challenges faced by women with serious mental illnesses. They also state that providers should try to work with patients and their families to set reasonable expectations about their capabilities.
It is imperative to understand how different factors overlap in the lives of people with serious mental illness and how being a woman can create specific challenges in their lives. The study contributes to the knowledge surrounding specific issues faced by women with serious mental illness and the authors call for more research in this field in the future.
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