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Parenting Stress Among Caregivers of Children With Bipolar Spectrum Disorders

Guillermo Perez Algorta1, Heather A MacPherson2, Eric A Youngstrom3

  • 1a Spectrum Centre for Mental Health Research/Division of Health Research , Lancaster University.

Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology : the Official Journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53
|March 11, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Parenting stress is high for caregivers of children with pediatric bipolar spectrum disorders (BPSD). Child anxiety and disruptive behaviors increase stress, especially in non-BPSD cases, highlighting the need for family-focused interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Family Psychology
  • Mental Health Research

Background:

  • Parenting stress is a significant concern for caregivers of children with psychiatric impairments.
  • Research on parenting stress specifically within pediatric bipolar spectrum disorders (BPSD) is lacking.
  • Understanding predictors and moderators of this stress is crucial for effective support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify predictors and moderators of parenting stress in caregivers of children in the Longitudinal Assessment of Manic Symptoms study.
  • To compare parenting stress levels between caregivers of children with and without BPSD.
  • To inform the development of targeted interventions for families affected by childhood mental health conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from 640 children and their caregivers in the Longitudinal Assessment of Manic Symptoms cohort.
  • Assessment of child characteristics including age, gender, BPSD diagnosis, psychiatric comorbidities, and functional impairment.
  • Evaluation of caregiver factors such as relationship status, depressive symptoms, antisocial tendencies, and parenting stress levels.

Main Results:

  • Children with BPSD exhibited higher service utilization, more psychiatric diagnoses, and greater functional impairment.
  • Caregivers of children with BPSD reported significantly higher parenting stress, depressive symptoms, and antisocial tendencies.
  • For the entire sample, higher child IQ, mania, anxiety, disruptive behavior, and caregiver depression predicted increased parenting stress. Child anxiety and disruptive behavior uniquely predicted stress in non-BPSD cases.

Conclusions:

  • Caregivers of children with BPSD experience substantial burden, necessitating specialized, family-centered interventions.
  • Families with children exhibiting higher IQ, mania, anxiety, and disruptive behavior, particularly those with depressive symptoms in caregivers, may require additional support.
  • While parents with conduct/antisocial problems showed lower stress, these issues warrant monitoring. Parenting stress should be routinely assessed and managed in childhood mental health treatment, especially for BPSD.

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