Routine identification of children of adults with mental illness: a nationwide survey of healthcare practitioners’ perspectives and practices in Japan

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective The association was investigated between healthcare practitioners’ actions of routinely identifying children of adults with mental illness by asking whether they have children under the age of 18 and practitioners’ perspectives and practices regarding supporting parents and their children. The factors that contribute to practitioners’ such routine identification were also determined. Method A cross-sectional nationwide survey was conducted using an anonymous self-report questionnaire among Japanese healthcare practitioners. Results The responses (84.7% were nurses) from 1138 participants were analysed. More than half of the participants (73.7%) routinely identified whether adults with mental illness had children. Participants who routinely identified children also provided more support to children and to the client regarding his or her parenting. Three factors were found to contribute to the participants’ routine identification of children: (1) recognising ‘difficulty with parenting' as a reason why support for children is necessary; (2) ‘assessing parenting status when supporting a parent with a mental illness' and (3) realising that participants ‘do not know how to provide support' as a reason why support for children is difficult. Discussion Providing education to practitioners regarding supporting children whose parents have a mental illness will help increase the routine identification of children in mental health services.