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

2. 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

3. Brainstorm workshop

4. 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

5. Warm-up & Introductions

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

7. 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

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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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).

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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.

16. Netherlands and Germany
Information and support through the internet (e.g.
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

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

18. 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

20. 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

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

22. 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

23. Moving Forward
Instrument development

24. 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?

25. Thank you for attending! Have a great conference!