TY - JOUR
T1 - “They had clothes on their back and they had food in their stomach, but they didn't have me”
T2 - The contribution of parental mental health problems, substance use, and domestic violence and abuse on young people and parents
AU - Kedzior, Sophie G.E.
AU - Barrett, Simon
AU - Muir, Cassey
AU - Lynch, Rebecca
AU - Kaner, Eileen
AU - Forman, Julia R.
AU - Wolfe, Ingrid
AU - McGovern, Ruth
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding: ORACLE is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Grant reference number: NIHR200717.
Funding Information:
Funding: ORACLE is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Grant reference number: NIHR200717 .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors
PY - 2024/3
Y1 - 2024/3
N2 - Background: The parental risk factors of mental health problems, substance use, and domestic violence and abuse each individually negatively impacts children's health and developmental outcomes. Few studies have considered the lived experience and support needs of parents and children in the real-world situation where these common risks cluster. Objective: This study explores parents' and young people's lived experiences of the clustering of parental mental health problems, parental substance use, and domestic violence and abuse. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 mothers, 6 fathers, and 7 young people with experiences of these parental risk factors. Transcribed interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were developed, 1) cumulative adversity, 2) the impact of syndemic risk, 3) families navigating risk, and 4) family support. Parents and young people described family situations of stress wherein they experienced cumulative impact of multiple parental risk factors. Parents sought to navigate stressors and parent in positive ways under challenging conditions, often impeded by their own childhood trauma and diminished confidence. Parents and young people spoke of the need for, and benefits of having, support; both as a family and as individuals, to successfully address this trio of parental risks and the related impact. Conclusions: This study highlights the high level of stress families experience and the efforts they go to mitigate risk. Services and interventions need to reflect the complexity of multiple needs and consider both the whole family and individuals when providing support.
AB - Background: The parental risk factors of mental health problems, substance use, and domestic violence and abuse each individually negatively impacts children's health and developmental outcomes. Few studies have considered the lived experience and support needs of parents and children in the real-world situation where these common risks cluster. Objective: This study explores parents' and young people's lived experiences of the clustering of parental mental health problems, parental substance use, and domestic violence and abuse. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 mothers, 6 fathers, and 7 young people with experiences of these parental risk factors. Transcribed interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were developed, 1) cumulative adversity, 2) the impact of syndemic risk, 3) families navigating risk, and 4) family support. Parents and young people described family situations of stress wherein they experienced cumulative impact of multiple parental risk factors. Parents sought to navigate stressors and parent in positive ways under challenging conditions, often impeded by their own childhood trauma and diminished confidence. Parents and young people spoke of the need for, and benefits of having, support; both as a family and as individuals, to successfully address this trio of parental risks and the related impact. Conclusions: This study highlights the high level of stress families experience and the efforts they go to mitigate risk. Services and interventions need to reflect the complexity of multiple needs and consider both the whole family and individuals when providing support.
KW - Adverse childhood experiences
KW - Child-parent relationships
KW - Domestic violence
KW - Mental health
KW - Parenting capacity
KW - Substance use
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85181844447&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106609
DO - 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106609
M3 - Article
C2 - 38181566
AN - SCOPUS:85181844447
SN - 0145-2134
VL - 149
JO - Child Abuse and Neglect
JF - Child Abuse and Neglect
M1 - 106609
ER -
