TY - JOUR
T1 - Mental health literacy content for children of parents with a mental illness
T2 - Thematic analysis of a literature review
AU - Riebschleger, Joanne
AU - Grove, Christine Jeanette
AU - Cavanaugh, Daniel
AU - Costello, Shane Christopher
PY - 2017/11/1
Y1 - 2017/11/1
N2 - Millions of children have a parent with a mental illness (COPMI). These children are at higher risk of acquiring behavioural, developmental and emotional difficulties. Most children, including COPMI, have low levels of mental health literacy (MHL), meaning they do not have accurate, non-stigmatized information. There is limited knowledge about what kind of MHL content should be delivered to children. The aim of this exploratory study is to identify the knowledge content needed for general population children and COPMI to increase their MHL. A second aim is to explore content for emerging children’s MHL scales. Researchers created and analyzed a literature review database. Thematic analysis yielded five main mental health knowledge themes for children: (1) attaining an overview of mental illness and recovery; (2) reducing mental health stigma; (3) building developmental resiliencies; (4) increasing help-seeking capacities; and (5) identifying risk factors for mental illness. COPMI appeared to need the same kind of MHL knowledge content, but with extra family-contextual content such as dealing with stigma experiences, managing stress, and communicating about parental mental illness. There is a need for MHL programs, validated scales, and research on what works for prevention and early intervention with COPMI children.
AB - Millions of children have a parent with a mental illness (COPMI). These children are at higher risk of acquiring behavioural, developmental and emotional difficulties. Most children, including COPMI, have low levels of mental health literacy (MHL), meaning they do not have accurate, non-stigmatized information. There is limited knowledge about what kind of MHL content should be delivered to children. The aim of this exploratory study is to identify the knowledge content needed for general population children and COPMI to increase their MHL. A second aim is to explore content for emerging children’s MHL scales. Researchers created and analyzed a literature review database. Thematic analysis yielded five main mental health knowledge themes for children: (1) attaining an overview of mental illness and recovery; (2) reducing mental health stigma; (3) building developmental resiliencies; (4) increasing help-seeking capacities; and (5) identifying risk factors for mental illness. COPMI appeared to need the same kind of MHL knowledge content, but with extra family-contextual content such as dealing with stigma experiences, managing stress, and communicating about parental mental illness. There is a need for MHL programs, validated scales, and research on what works for prevention and early intervention with COPMI children.
KW - Behavioral health
KW - Children
KW - Mental health
KW - Mental health literacy
KW - Mental illness
KW - Parents
KW - Prevention
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85032589068&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/brainsci7110141
DO - 10.3390/brainsci7110141
M3 - Article
C2 - 29072587
AN - SCOPUS:85032589068
VL - 7
SP - 1
EP - 19
JO - Brain Sciences
JF - Brain Sciences
SN - 2076-3425
IS - 11
M1 - 141
ER -