Abstract
Children with chronic health conditions and their parents are at greater risk of developing emotional and behavioural problems compared to their physically healthy peers. The psychological impact on parents is crucial to understand given the relationship between parental mental health and child emotional and behavioural difficulties. This study was part of a broader research project examining the acceptability, feasibility and impact of a 'Mental Health and Psychological Wellbeing Drop-in Centre' in a paediatric hospital providing access to support and intervention for children and their families. This paper aimed to investigate the impact of the centre on parents (n=148). Parental anxiety and depression were assessed using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 at baseline and 6-month post-baseline. Child mental health was assessed using the parent-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). If parents had significant mental health needs, a brief intervention/signposting to relevant services was provided. At baseline, 48% of parents scored above clinical threshold for anxiety and 41% for depression, and parent reported child SDQ scores were correlated with parental anxiety and parental low mood. Self-reported parental anxiety and low mood decreased at 6-months post-baseline (parental anxiety: mean decrease = 2.29 [1.22-3.36], d=0.38; parental low mood: mean decrease = 1.81 [0.64-3.00], d=0.28). There were no significant correlations between change in parent reported child wellbeing and changes in parental low mood and anxiety between baseline and 6-month post-baseline. Assessing and providing a brief treatment to address the mental health needs of parents of children with comorbidity may bring important benefits. It is recommended that children's mental health services consider assessment of parental mental health as part of routine care.
Highlights
Children with chronic physical health conditions are at greater risk of developing emotional and behavioural problems compared to their physically healthy peers (Hysing et al, 2007; Pinquart & Shen, 2011a, 2011b, 2011c)
The findings suggest that having a child with comorbid physical and mental difficulties places a toll on parental mental health
The present study aimed to investigate the impact of the drop‐in on parents; (i) the prevalence of mental health difficulties in parents attending the drop‐in, (ii) the association between parent mental health and child mental health and quality of life at baseline and change over time, and (iii) whether attendance at the drop‐in was associated with change in parental mental health
Summary
Children with chronic physical health conditions are at greater risk of developing emotional and behavioural problems compared to their physically healthy peers (Hysing et al, 2007; Pinquart & Shen, 2011a, 2011b, 2011c). Parents of children with physical health difficulties show elevated symptoms of depression and anxiety (Pinquart, 2019a, 2019b) Studies suggest that these parents are under increased strain from balancing work and family commitments whilst needing to manage their own anxieties about their child's future (Barlow & Ellard, 2006; Cousino & Hazen, 2013). The psychological impact on parents is crucial to understand given the relationship between parental mental health and child emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is recommended that children's mental health services consider assessment of parental mental health as part of routine care
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