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Individuals with serious mental illness often have persistent and disruptive symptoms. These can profoundly affect their children's lives, exposing them to adverse social and psychological conditions. Such conditions can result in traumatic lived experiences during childhood, which can carry over into adulthood, influencing their self-perceptions and shaping their attitudes toward themselves and society. To gain insights into this phenomenon, this study explored the lived experiences of adults who grew up with a parent with serious mental illness and their perceptions of their lives in adulthood.
This study used an interpretive phenomenological design.
Participants were invited to voluntarily participate in the study through a call posted on social media. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 adults (age range, 20–55 years) who grew up with a parent with serious mental illness. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, and inductive thematic analysis was used to identify main and overarching themes.
The overarching theme of transition from childhood survival to adulthood survival emerged and included four main themes: (1) a traumatic childhood, (2) perceived control, (3) resilience and general self-efficacy, and (4) adult quality of life. A traumatic childhood consisted of experiences of neglect and abuse, while participants used perceived control to achieve personal growth, self-care, and care of others. Resilience and general self-efficacy emerged during the transition to adulthood and helped participants further their social status and strengthen family bonds. Lastly, adult quality of life was described as being disturbed by feelings of loneliness and being burdensome, stemming from an inherent tendency to rely solely on themselves, leading to trust issues and mental health complications. Therefore, these adults found it difficult to reach out and get help or treatment for their concerns, as they initially did not want to appear dysfunctional or in need.
This study has illuminated the lived experiences of a specific, vulnerable population that has not been intentionally explored until now. To delve into these experiences, we employed a distinctive qualitative approach, merging the interpretive phenomenological perspective with an inductive thematic analysis. This allowed for rich insight with a relatively large group of participants and enabled an in-depth exploration within this methodological framework. Consequently, this study constitutes a notable contribution to the extant body of knowledge, exploring the intricacies of personal growth and its impact on participants' quality of life. It uncovers the essence of resilience and general self-efficacy, revealing how these elements intertwine with the negative results observed. However, the study findings emphasize the need for healthcare professionals, including nurses and other caregivers, to be mindful of the long-lasting effects of the adverse experiences of children of patients with serious mental illness. Prioritizing active clinical assessment and implementing tailored interventions to address such children's specific needs and difficulties across different developmental stages is imperative. Such comprehensive and targeted approaches are crucial in providing appropriate support and promoting the well-being of these individuals.
Enhanced clinical attention in holistic psychiatric care is crucial for individuals and their relatives, especially children. Comprehensive assessments of children and adults raised by seriously mentally ill parents can enable tailored and preventive interventions, positively impacting overall quality of life.
Childhood abuse could potentially cause negative health consequences later in life, where they influence individuals' physiological, psychological, and behavioral health. Screening for ACEs is not widely incorporated during routine primary healthcare. The information about past childhood abuse screening among adult patients is elusive. The aim of the study was to investigate healthcare providers (HCPs) practices, skills, attitudes, and perceived barriers related to past childhood abuse screening among adult patients in Saudi Arabia.
Cross-sectional study.
Data were collected from healthcare facilities in the Riyadh and Madinah regions of Saudi Arabia using a self-reported questionnaire.
A total of 126 HCPs completed the survey. Less than one-third of the HCPs reported routinely (usually or always) screening for childhood abuse. HCPs were more concerned that they would offend their patients by examining history of adversities. HCP practice location, the extent to which they think it is part of their responsibilities to screen for history of adversities, and their self-reported of adverse childhood experiences were significantly associated with screening practices for childhood abuse. Four perceived barriers were significantly associated with HCP screening.
Screening for past adversities is vital for identifying childhood trauma among the public; therefore, we might participate in reducing childhood trauma and further controlling consequences in the future. Developing a screening form for childhood abuse or adversities and providing this form in healthcare settings are appropriate at this stage.
Early screening for ACEs is recommended, which prioritizes health promotion and disease prevention. It is highly needed to increase HCP awareness toward childhood abuse, screening for it, and reflection on it.
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