“My Scars Remain Forever”: A Qualitative Study on Biographical Developments in Adult Children of Parents with Mental Illness

This study aimed to investigate the lasting impact of parental mental illness on adult children's  biographies, personalities, and social relationships. According to this, the research was guided by a life course perspective, examining participants’ experiences in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Adult children (n = 18) who experienced childhood parental mental illness participated in an in-depth interview study. They reported a wide range of personal problems that they perceived as a result of their stressful childhood experiences. Adult children often felt negatively influenced and impaired regarding t heir health, identity, behavior, social relationships, and daily life experiences. Consequently, many expressed a need for professional support in order to be able to reflect upon their experiences and problems. Clinical social workers and other health and social care professionals can play an impor tant role in providing services for adult children of parents with mental illness. Based on the results, recommendations for psycho-social practice are presented in this paper.
Source: Clinical Social Work Journal - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research