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Updated: Oct 5, 2026

Handwriting Analysis Indicates Spontaneous Dyskinesias in Neuroleptic Naïve Adolescents at High Risk for Psychosis
Published on: November 21, 2013
Help-seeking for parents of individuals experiencing a first episode of schizophrenia
1Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai Hospital and the School of Nursing, Faculty of Community Services, Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. dczuchta@mtsinai.on.ca
Abstract:
The purpose of this triangulated study was to understand parents' experience of help-seeking in response to their child's first episode of schizophrenia. Twenty participants completed questionnaires related to stigma, parental caregiver burden, uncertainty in illness and help-seeking. Findings indicated: (1) as stigmatized attitudes towards mental illness and feelings of ambiguity increased, so did burden; (2) as parental education increased, uncertainty regarding their child's illness decreased; (3) as the number of symptoms causing distress increased so did burden and lack of clarity regarding their child's illness. A significant amount of time passed before parents were able to access help. No relationships were found between indicators of parental help-seeking and the study variables. A subset of five participants described their help-seeking experience. Three overarching themes emerged: (1) Evolving change: What does it mean? (2) Continuous help-seeking, and (3) The help-seeking experience: Impact on parents.
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