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Finless A, Rideout AL, Xiong T, Carbyn H, Lingley-Pottie P, Palmer LD, Shugar A, McDonald-McGinn DM, McGrath PJ, Bassett AS, Cytrynbaum C, Orr M, Swillen A, Meier S. The mental health and traumatic experiences of mothers of children with 22q11DS. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2024; 15:2353532. [PMID: 38780146 PMCID: PMC11123504 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2024.2353532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: 22q11 Deletion Syndrome (22q11DS) is the most common microdeletion syndrome with broad phenotypic variability, leading to significant morbidity and some mortality. The varied health problems associated with 22q11DS and the evolving phenotype (both medical and developmental/behavioural) across the lifespan can strongly impact the mental health of patients as well as their caregivers. Like caregivers of children with other chronic diseases, caregivers of children with 22q11DS may experience an increased risk of traumatisation and mental health symptoms.Objective: The study's primary objective was to assess the frequency of traumatic experiences and mental health symptoms among mothers of children with 22q11DS. The secondary objective was to compare their traumatic experiences to those of mothers of children with other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs).Method: A total of 71 mothers of children diagnosed with 22q11DS completed an online survey about their mental health symptoms and traumatic experiences. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the prevalence of their mental health symptoms and traumatic experiences. Logistic regression models were run to compare the traumatic experiences of mothers of children with 22q11DS to those of 335 mothers of children with other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs).Results: Many mothers of children with 22q11DS experienced clinically significant mental health symptoms, including depression (39%), anxiety (25%), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (30%). The types of traumatic events experienced by mothers of children with 22q11DS differed from those of mothers of children with other NDDs as they were more likely to observe their child undergoing a medical procedure, a life-threatening surgery, or have been with their child in the intensive care unit.Conclusion: 22q11DS caregivers are likely to require mental health support and trauma-informed care, tailored to the specific needs of this population as they experience different kinds of traumatic events compared to caregivers of children with other NDDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Finless
- Department of Psychology/Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Andrea L. Rideout
- Maritime Medical Genetics Service, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Canada
| | - Ting Xiong
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Holly Carbyn
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | | | - Lisa D. Palmer
- Dalgish Family 22q Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine, and Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
- Clinical Genetics Research Program and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Andrea Shugar
- Division of Clinical & Metabolic Genetics and the Department of Genetic Counselling, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Donna M. McDonald-McGinn
- Division of Human Genetics, 22q and You Center, Clinical Genetics Center, and Section of Genetic Counselling, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Human Biology and Medical Genetics, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrick J. McGrath
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
- IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Canada
| | - Anne S. Bassett
- Dalgish Family 22q Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine, and Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
- Clinical Genetics Research Program and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Cheryl Cytrynbaum
- Division of Clinical & Metabolic Genetics and the Department of Genetic Counselling, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Matt Orr
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Ann Swillen
- Center for Human Genetics, UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sandra Meier
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
- IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Canada
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Cosman T, Finless A, Rideout AL, Lingley-Pottie P, Palmer LD, Shugar A, McDonald-McGinn DM, Swillen A, McGrath PJ, Bassett AS, Cytrynbaum C, Orr M, Meier S. An online survey to understand the needs of caregivers of family members with 22q11 deletion syndrome. JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH : JIDR 2023; 67:860-868. [PMID: 37449408 DOI: 10.1111/jir.13061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) have multi-system and lifelong needs requiring substantial support. Their primary caregivers are usually family members who dedicate lifelong time and effort to their role. The pressures of their roles can negatively impact caregivers' psychosocial well-being, suggesting a need for additional support for this community who currently have no specialised interventions available. METHOD This online study surveyed 103 caregivers of family members with 22q11DS to determine the barriers to accessing support that they faced, the kind of support they would value and whether an online intervention could meet their needs. RESULTS The caregivers indicated that a brief online intervention focused on teaching practical skills and connecting them with a peer network of support would be most valuable. CONCLUSIONS Future studies are planned that will build on these results by designing and testing online interventions tailored to this community.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Cosman
- Department of Psychology/Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - A Finless
- Department of Psychology/Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - A L Rideout
- Maritime Medical Genetics Service, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - P Lingley-Pottie
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - L D Palmer
- Dalgish Family 22q Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Clinical Genetics Research Program, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - A Shugar
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics and the Department of Genetic Counselling, the Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Molecular Genetics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - D M McDonald-McGinn
- Division of Human Genetics, 22q and You Center, Clinical Genetics Center, and Section of Genetic Counselling, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - A Swillen
- Center for Human Genetics, UZ Leuven, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - P J McGrath
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Specific Care Clinics, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - A S Bassett
- Dalgish Family 22q Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Clinical Genetics Research Program, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine, and Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network; Clinical Genetics Research Program and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - C Cytrynbaum
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics and the Department of Genetic Counselling, the Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Molecular Genetics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - M Orr
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - S Meier
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Specific Care Clinics, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Xiong T, Kaltenbach E, Yakovenko I, Lebsack J, McGrath PJ. How to measure barriers in accessing mental healthcare? Psychometric evaluation of a screening tool in parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1383. [PMID: 36411458 PMCID: PMC9677628 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08762-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Caring for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can cause an enormous physical and emotional burden, and therefore these parents have an elevated risk to experience mental health problems. The characteristics of current healthcare systems and parents' responsibilities to care for their children seem to impede their access to mental healthcare. There is so far a lack of instruments to screen for such obstacles. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a scale for measuring barriers to accessing mental healthcare. The Parental Healthcare Barriers Scale (PHBS) was developed on the basis of an extensive literature research, input and discussion from experts and parents with lived experience. A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data from 456 parents of children with IDD. Physical health, mental health, social support, and parenting were measured for concurrent and discriminant validity of the PHBS. The PHBS scale revealed acceptable to good reliability and validity. It consists of four subscales (i.e., support accessibility, personal belief, emotional readiness, and resource availability). The PHBS found parents prioritized their children's treatments over their own mental health challenges (93.4%), did not have enough time (90.4%), and had financial concerns (85.8%). Parents in rural and remote areas had more limited resources. Findings from our study suggest increasing financial support for the parents seeking mental health services, introducing evidence-based treatments, increasing the availability of healthcare services for parents, and adjusting current services to their needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xiong
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada ,grid.414870.e0000 0001 0351 6983IWK Health Centre, 5980 University Ave #5850, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8 Canada
| | - Elisa Kaltenbach
- grid.414870.e0000 0001 0351 6983IWK Health Centre, 5980 University Ave #5850, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8 Canada
| | - Igor Yakovenko
- grid.55602.340000 0004 1936 8200Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | | | - Patrick J. McGrath
- grid.414870.e0000 0001 0351 6983IWK Health Centre, 5980 University Ave #5850, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8 Canada ,grid.55602.340000 0004 1936 8200Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
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