Knowledge children need to know when one of their parents has a mental illness

Senior-researcher ,Professorship of Rehabilitation Peter van der Ende Senior-researcher ,Professorship of Rehabilitation Hanzeuniversity Groningen, the Netherlands Joanne Riebschleger Associate Professor, Social Work Michigan State University, US Christine Grove Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Monash University Clayton, Australia Annick Bosch MSc in Behavioural Sciences and Pedagogical Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands Daniel Cavanaugh ` MSW, Doctoral Student, Social Work, Lectoraat Rehabilitatie Groningen

Brainstorm workshop

Goals for workshop You learn from us what is needed by COPMI Information and support We learn from you what is going on (related to this subject) in your field and your country

Warm-up & Introductions

COPMI (Children of Parents with Mental Ilness) MHL (Mental Health Literacy) COPMI (Children of Parents with Mental Ilness)

Your Field, Your Country What is going on in your field and/or country for children of a parent with a mental health disorder? A few examples

Part of Prato-research group COPMI + Supported parenting = FaPMI (Families where a parent has a mental Illness)

Examples of programs for COPMI children Background Examples of programs for COPMI children YES (Youth Education and Support) CHAMPS MHKY (Mental Health Knowledge For Youth) Working on an instrument to measure needs for mental health knowledge by children -Riebschleger et al., 2012, Knowledge of Mental Illness and Recovery Scale -Wahl et al., 2012, self-report questionnaire Aim – Evidence-Based Practice Child Knowledge Outcomes

Literature Review: -K2C team conducted in depth literature review of the mental health literacy (MHL) needs of children of a parent with a mental illness (COPMI). -Available MHL scales -The current needs of COPMI

Mental Health Literacy (MHL) defined: - Stigma -Identification of specific categories of disorders and psychological pain - Knowledge of treatments and interventions - Knowledge of mental health coping skills - Understanding of risk factors and causes of mental illness - Attitudes towards mental health - Understanding of when to seek professional help (Jorm et al., 1997, 2006; Jorm, 2000; Kelly, Jorm, & Wright, 2007).

1. COPMI face increased psychosocial risks and stressors: COPMI youth face increased risks of future diagnoses of a mental health or substance abuse disorder Risk factors can be exacerbated or ameliorated by a number of factors related to the familial and social environments: -Severity of parental mental illness -Specific parental diagnoses -Co-occurring parental substance abuse

2. Other Increased Risks and Stressors: Responsibility for caregiving duties for parents or family Caring for a sick parent Managing household responsibilities Feel responsible for their parent’s mental illness Socially isolated from peer group and community Increased risk of abuse and neglect Experience stigma related to familial mental illness

3. Coping skill acquisition and stress reduction may support improved life outcomes Stressors affect the physical and psychological states of those exposed An individual’s appraisal of a stressor and application of strategies and skills may improve coping Application of adaptive coping may lead to improved psychosocial health COPMI researchers have applied stress and coping theory to describe the relationship between mental health literacy and COPMI outcomes

4. Need more information on the subjective knowledge needs of COPMI: Researchers have begun to explore the lived experiences of COPMI However little is known of the subjective reported knowledge needs of these youths The knowledge needs of COPMI continue to be rooted in expert opinions of mental health and medical professionals Psychoeducational programs should be informed by the reported knowledge needs of COPMI youth.

Netherlands and Germany Information and support through the internet (e.g. www.koppstoring.nl, www.survivalkid.nl) Peer support groups: knowledge can help design these groups Preventive program: sense of control, understanding parent's illness, not child's fault Germany: using knowledge for risk assessment or examining parent-child relationships

Netherlands and Germany - 2 Conclusion: different sources to get knowledge (books, internet, peer support groups, prevention program) no instruments examine specifically knowledge

During a conference from the Prato-research group in Prato (It.) "Myth busting mental illness”: Expert views of children’s knowledge needs regarding their parent’s mental illness Qualitative research among research experts (in the field of COPMI-FaPMI) During a conference from the Prato-research group in Prato (It.) Three written open questions 45 research experts from Aglo-Saxon countries and Western- Europe gave their answers

Possible constructs/subscales for a knowledge scale Need for knowledge on: Parental behaviour and psychiatric symptoms Children’s own problems Risk factors Coping strategies Accessing netwerk and professional support   Possible constructs/subscales for a knowledge scale

Constructs/subscales - 2 Causes of mental illness Recovery and treatment for parents Medication Stigma

Starting points Items are stated from the child’s point of view in child’s own language They are about the effect of parental mental illness on the child

Moving Forward Instrument development

Discussion (time permitting) Your thoughts? Your ideas? Are there differences in countries in this subject?How does the information of this presentation differ from your field/ your country Could you use this scale in your practice? If yes with what aim? Please write down your results, so we can use them and write them back to you Is there a need for an instrument like this? Further questions? Further suggestions?

Thank you for attending! Have a great conference!