Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2025
07:56
Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
10.0K
Lived experiences: Growing up with a seriously mentally ill parent
Alexander Shestiperov1,2, Orli Grinstein-Cohen1, Deborah Lindell3
1Recanati School for Community Health Professions, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Recanati School for Community Health Professions, BE'ER SHEVA, Israel.
Summary
Adults raised by parents with serious mental illness often experience childhood trauma and develop resilience. Despite challenges like trust issues, they navigate adulthood, highlighting the need for tailored support for this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- Serious mental illness in parents profoundly impacts children's social and psychological development.
- Childhood exposure to parental mental illness can lead to adverse experiences and long-term effects into adulthood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the lived experiences of adults who grew up with a parent with serious mental illness.
- To understand their perceptions of life in adulthood and the impact of childhood experiences.
Main Methods:
- Interpretive phenomenological design.
- Semi-structured interviews with 30 adults (aged 20-55) with a parent diagnosed with serious mental illness.
- Inductive thematic analysis of transcribed interviews.
Main Results:
- An overarching theme of 'transition from childhood survival to adulthood survival' emerged.
- Key themes included traumatic childhood experiences, perceived control, resilience, self-efficacy, and adult quality of life.
- Adults faced loneliness, trust issues, and mental health complications, hindering help-seeking behaviors.
Conclusions:
- The study illuminates the unique challenges faced by adults with a parent with serious mental illness.
- Findings underscore the importance of healthcare professionals recognizing and addressing the long-term effects of adverse childhood experiences.
- Tailored interventions and clinical assessments are crucial for supporting this population's well-being.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Schizophrenia
86
Schizophrenia, a term introduced by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911, describes a severe psychological disorder marked by profound disruptions in attention, thought processes, language, emotion, and interpersonal relationships. The core feature of schizophrenia is psychosis — a state characterized by a fundamental detachment from reality. This disconnection manifests through distorted logic, impaired perception, and atypical behavior, severely affecting the lives of those...
86
01:30Stress and Mental Health
157
Chronic stress profoundly affects mental health, significantly influencing mood, behavior, and overall quality of life. Research closely links chronic stress with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Ongoing exposure to stress can lead to physiological and psychological changes, initiating a cycle of emotional distress and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
157
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
91
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
91
01:30Bipolar Disorder
67
Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental health condition marked by significant mood fluctuations, including episodes of mania and depression. Elevated energy levels, heightened mood or irritability, impulsive behavior, reduced sleep needs, rapid speech, racing thoughts, inflated self-esteem, and distractibility characterize mania. Individuals with bipolar disorder often alternate between depressive and manic states, with periods of emotional stability lasting an average of six months to a year.
67
01:26Positive Symptoms Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
57
Schizophrenia is a complex psychiatric disorder characterized by a range of symptoms that significantly impact cognition, behavior, and emotional regulation. Among these, the positive symptoms stand out as they involve the addition or exaggeration of normal mental functions, deviating markedly from typical behavior and perception. Hallucinations and delusions are prominent positive symptoms, each profoundly affecting the individual's experience of reality.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations in...
Hallucinations
Hallucinations in...
57
01:23Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
56
Adolescence is a pivotal period of identity formation, during which individuals begin to answer questions central to their sense of self, such as "Who am I?" and "Who do I hope to become?" Both parents and peers play critical roles in guiding adolescents through this complex developmental phase.
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
56