Summarising Quantitative Outcomes in Parental Mental Illness Research

Area of Science:

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

Background:

• Parental mental illness (FaPMI) affects a significant portion of children.
• Growing research necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the current knowledge landscape.
• This review is part of a larger program aiming for research consensus and improved study comparability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of quantitative studies on families with parental mental illness (FaPMI).
• To summarize the quality, focus, and outcomes of FaPMI research.
• To identify areas for future research and recommend standardized outcome measures.

Main Methods:

• Systematic scoping review of 50 quantitative FaPMI studies published between 2000 and 2023.
• Analysis of study quality, geographical focus, sampling characteristics, and reported outcomes for parents, children, and families.
• Classification of identified outcomes and assessment of the heterogeneity of measurement instruments.

Main Results:

• The most common child age group studied was 6–11 years; girls were slightly underrepresented, and mothers comprised 88% of parent samples.
• Key outcomes included parental/child psychopathology, well-being, mental health literacy, trauma, coping, help-seeking, and family relationships.
• A high heterogeneity of 136 survey instruments was observed, with 80% used in only one study.

Conclusions:

• Significant heterogeneity in measurement tools hinders cross-study comparisons in FaPMI research.
• Future research should focus on fathers, economic evaluations, parent/child mental health literacy, trauma, genetics, and well-being.
• Standardization of outcome measures is crucial for advancing research and interventions for families affected by parental mental illness.