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- Wirehag Nordh, Emme-Lina, 1981, et al.
(author)
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Mental health in children of parents being treated by specialised psychiatric services
- 2022
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : Sage Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: One in ten children have a parent diagnosed with a mental illness by specialised psychiatric services. Severe parental mental illness is a well-established risk factor for children's mental health problems, making the identification and support of these children a public health concern. This study investigated the mental health and family context of children of parents diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder in this clinical setting. Methods: Parental reports on 87 children aged 8-17 years were analysed. The children's mental health was compared with that of a Swedish population-based sample. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate associations between child mental health and child gender, child age, parent symptoms and social status, family functioning, and perceived parental control. Furthermore, a cumulative risk index explored the effect of multiple risk factors on child mental health. Results: The children reportedly had significantly more mental health problems than did the population-based sample and about one-third had scores above the clinical cut-off. A significant multiple linear regression explained 49% of the variance in child mental health, with lower perceived parental control and younger child age being associated with more child mental health problems. With more reported risk factors, children reportedly had more mental health problems. Conclusions: The results underline the importance of identifying a patient's children and assessing multiple relevant risk factors in the child's life. Furthermore, the results indicate that the needs of younger children and of patients in their parenting role are important to address.
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| 2. |
- Wirehag Nordh, Emme-Lina, 1981, et al.
(author)
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Preventive interventions for children of parents with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder : A quasi-experimental clinical trial
- 2023
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In: Acta Paediatrica. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0803-5253 .- 1651-2227. ; 112:1, s. 132-142
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim To investigate the effectiveness of preventive interventions for 8-17-year-old children of patients diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. Methods Sixty-two families including 89 children received either the more extensive Family Talk Intervention (FTI; n = 35), the brief Let's Talk about Children (LTC; n = 16), or Interventions as Usual (IAU; n = 38) in routine care in adult psychiatry. Parent-rated questionnaire data were collected at baseline, after 6 and 12 months. We used growth curve models to investigate the effect of intervention on child mental health problems (SDQ-P Total Difficulties) and perceived parental control of child behaviour (PLOC-PPC). Results Parents in the FTI and LTC groups, versus the IAU group, reported more favourable development in terms of preventing increase in child mental health problems with standardised intervention effects of d = -0.86 and -0.88 respectively, by study end, and reported improved perceived parental control, d = 1.08 and 0.71, respectively, by study end. No significant differences in effect were found when FTI and LTC were compared. Conclusions The results support continued use of FTI and LTC in adult psychiatry, and since LTC is a brief intervention, it might be useful as a minimum-level preventive intervention.
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