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Children of psychiatric patients: rarely seen or heard
N DeChillo1, S Matorin, C Hallahan
1Department of Social Work, Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, NY 10021.
Insights
Inpatient psychiatric social workers recognize the importance of including patients
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Social Work
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Parental psychiatric illness significantly impacts child development and well-being.
- The importance of family-centered care in psychiatric settings is increasingly recognized.
- Existing literature highlights the vulnerability of children with mentally ill parents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess inpatient psychiatric social workers' perceived importance of involving patients' children in treatment.
- To evaluate the extent to which social workers document child-focused interventions.
- To explore the discrepancy between the recognized importance and actual practice regarding children of psychiatric patients.
Main Methods:
- Survey administered to inpatient psychiatric social workers.
- Retrospective review of inpatient psychiatric charts.
- Literature review on the effects of parental mental illness on children.
Main Results:
- Social workers expressed a strong belief in the importance of including patients' children in their practice.
- Documentation of child-focused activities in patient charts was found to be infrequent.
- A significant gap exists between the theoretical value placed on child involvement and its practical application.
Conclusions:
- There is a notable disconnect between social workers' attitudes and their documented practices concerning children of psychiatric patients.
- Clinical implications suggest a need for enhanced training and support for social workers in family-inclusive practices.
- Policy implications point towards the necessity of advocating for systemic changes to better support these vulnerable families.
Abstract:
A survey of inpatient psychiatric social workers and a review of inpatient charts indicate that while social workers believe the inclusion of the patients' children in their practice is important, their documentation rarely reflects such activity. The authors review relevant literature on the effect of parental psychiatric illness on children, discuss the apparent schism between theory and practice, and consider the clinical and policy implications of these findings.