The Impact of Unresolved Parental Conflict on Patients with Psychiatric Problems: A Clinical Observation

Abstract

Based on a dataset, this paper examines the link between children’s presenting problems and interparental relationships. The clinical discussion focuses specifically on the impact of parental relationship on mental illness. Using a protocol to measure both the physiological and verbal responses of the patients, it is observed that regardless of the psychiatric diagnoses given to these children or young adults, almost all of them were deeply involved in their parents’ unresolved relational conflict. In the five case scenarios provided for illustration, the patients could articulate very clearly how concerned they were when they sensed their parent's relationship was at risk, and how their symptoms had served a function in maintaining the family equilibrium. Based on this clinical observation, it is important to develop a treatment approach that addresses mental illness in the family context.