Parenting with mental illness among patients presenting to a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka: Challenges and perceived care needs

INTRODUCTION: Parenting with mental illness is associated with parenting difficulties and increased mental health problems in children. Family focused interventions improve child outcomes by 40%. However, such services are not available at present in Sri Lanka. OBJECTIVES: To assess the challenges faced and perceived needs of parents with mental illness in Sri Lanka. METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out in the adult psychiatry follow-up clinics in a Teaching Hospital in Sri Lanka. A specifically designed questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic details, difficulties with parenting and perceived care needs. RESULTS: Of 385 parents, 67.3% believed their mental illness impacted their parenting. Perceived impact on parenting was higher in younger parents (p<0.01), when the children were younger (p<0.01), had more children under 5 years (p<0.01) and when there was no social support (p<0.01). 67.8% of parents believed their illness impacted their children, with higher impact perceived in parents with children less than 5 years of age (p<0.05) and those with no social support (p<0.01). Although 36.4% had concerns about their children’s emotions or behaviour, only 16.4% were willing to discuss these with their doctor. The parental concerns were significantly higher where the parent was employed (p<0.01), had a longer duration of illness (p<0.01) and when the youngest child was more than 12 years (p<0.01) CONCLUSIONS: Mental illness in parents had a substantial impact on parenting and their children but professionals help was rarely sought. Services aimed at the specific needs of these parents should be developed. DISCLOSURE: No significant relationships.