Navigating in an unpredictable daily life: a metasynthesis on children's experiences living with a
parent with severe mental illness
Engelsk titel: Navigating in an unpredictable daily life: a metasynthesis on children's experiences living with a
parent with severe mental illness
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Författare:
Dam, Kristianna
;
Hall, Elisabeth O C
Email: kristianna.dam@skulin.fo
Språk: Eng
Antal referenser: 81
Dokumenttyp:
Översikt
UI-nummer: 16113498
Sammanfattning
A large group of individuals suffering from mental illness are parents living with their children.
These children are invisible in the health care even though at risk for illhealth. The aim of this
metasynthesis was to advance knowledge of how children of parents with mental illness experience
their lives, thus contributing to the evidence of this phenomenon. The metasynthesis is following
Sandelowski and Barroso's guidelines. Literature searches covering the years 2000 to 2013 resulted
in 22 reports which were synthesised into the theme ‘navigating in an unpredictable everyday life’
and the metaphor compass. Children of parents with mental illness irrespective of age are
responsible, loving and worrying children who want to do everything to help and support. Children
feel shame when the parent behaves differently, and they conceal their family life being afraid of
stigmatisation and bullying. When their parent becomes ill, they distance to protect themselves. The
children cope through information, knowledge, frankness and trustful relationships. These children
need support from healthcare services because they subjugate own needs in favour of the parental
needs, they should be encouraged to talk about their family situation, and especially, young children
should to be child-like, playing and seeing friends. Published by arrangement with John Wiley &
Sons.