Abstract
BackgroundIndividuals who have lived with childhood parental mental illness are at increased risk of developing mental health concerns. Yet there is limited knowledge about how a person’s childhood experiences of parental mental illness may influence their subsequent parenting roles.MethodsThis narrative study generated parenting narratives of adult children who had lived with childhood parental mental illness. Interviewees included 10 women and three men. Inductive thematic analysis was used to establish themes and sub-themes from the narratives.ResultsThe theme of parenting journeys with sub-themes of: ‘adult children living with parenting worries’ and ‘adult children seeking emotional connectivity with their children and others’ are presented.ConclusionsParenting anxiety may be a common experience shared by all parents. However, adult children’s worries in relation to their child/ren developing mental illness may be associated with their own experiences of childhood parental mental illness. All health professionals have a pinnacle role in supporting families to build resilience and harness positive experiences within familial relationships to recognise and mitigate parenting anxiety.
Highlights
Individuals who have lived with childhood parental mental illness are at increased risk of developing mental health concerns
Findings on living with fear and mistrust [14]; navigating stigma [15]; loss of self [16] and dehumanisation of a parent with mental illness [17] were previously published. This current paper reports findings on the subsequent parenting journeys of adults who lived with childhood parental mental illness
The theme of adult children’s parenting experiences and associated sub-themes: adult children living with parenting worries and adult children seeking connectivity with their children and others are presented in this paper
Summary
Individuals who have lived with childhood parental mental illness are at increased risk of developing mental health concerns. Children reported stigma and a need to keep secrets, while wanting greater information regarding their parent’s mental illness [4]. These findings were further supported by a systematic review using eight studies in 2018, which suggested that children sought a greater understanding of mental illness and and noted that children had concerns about their relationships with their parents [5]. Young adults who lived with childhood parental mental illness are thought to experience a similar sense of increased responsibility with loneliness and isolation; noting feelings of difference to others, while living in a highly emotional home environment [8]. The experiences of children and young adults were consistent with findings offered
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