'You are Okay': a support and educational program for children with mild intellectual disability and their parents with a mental illness: study protocol of a quasi-experimental design

Social-emotional problems of children with mild intellectual disabilities having parents with mental health concerns: A quantitative comparison study

INTRODUCTION

Children of parents with mental health concerns are at-risk for social-emotional problems. In this study, we assessed whether children with a mild intellectual disability and parents with mental health concerns are particularly at-risk.

METHOD

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) reports of children with a mild intellectual disability (N = 55) and their parents with mental health concerns (N = 45) were compared to two comparison groups. The first group included children with average intelligence (N = 13) and their parents with mental health concerns (N = 56), the second group included children with mild intellectual disability (N = 44) and their parents (N = 36).

RESULTS

Children with a mild intellectual disability and a parent with mental health concerns show higher total SDQ problem scores and more internalizing and externalizing problems as compared to children in the two other groups.

DISCUSSION

Children having mild intellectual disability and parents with mental health concerns are particularly at risk for developing social-emotional problems.

'You are Okay': Effects of a support and educational program for children with mild intellectual disability and their parents with mental health concerns

BACKGROUND

Children with mild intellectual disabilities and emotional and behavioural problems whose parents have mental health concerns are at an increased risk of developing problems themselves. This study analysed the effectiveness of the 'You are Okay'-program aimed to support these children and parents and to reduce the risk of problem development in children.

METHOD

A quasi-experimental design was used to compare the experimental group ('care as usual' and 'You are Okay') with the control group ('care as usual') on the main outcome of emotional and behavioural problems and proposed intermediate outcomes.

RESULTS

Children in the experimental group reported a significant medium to large decrease in emotional and behavioural problems compared to the control group. The effects on the intermediate outcomes were non-significant.

CONCLUSIONS

This specific study population comprising a vulnerable group of children seems to benefit from this specially adapted 'You are Okay'-program. More research is necessary to draw further conclusions.

A Scoping Review of Interventions Designed to Support Parents With Mental Illness That Would Be Appropriate for Parents With Psychosis

The experience of psychosis can present additional difficulties for parents, over and above the normal challenges of parenting. Although there is evidence about parenting interventions specifically targeted at parents with affective disorders, anxiety, and borderline personality disorder, there is currently limited evidence for parents with psychotic disorders. It is not yet known what, if any, interventions exist for this population, or what kinds of evaluations have been conducted. To address this, we conducted a scoping review to determine (1) what parenting interventions have been developed for parents with psychosis (either specifically for, or accessible by, this client group), (2) what components these interventions contain, and (3) what kinds of evaluations have been conducted. The eligibility criteria were broad; we included any report of an intervention for parents with a mental health diagnosis, in which parents with psychosis were eligible to take part, that had been published within the last 20 years. Two reviewers screened reports and extracted the data from the included reports. Thirty-eight studies of 34 interventions were included. The findings show that most interventions have been designed either for parents with any mental illness or parents with severe mental illness, and only two interventions were trialed with a group of parents with psychosis. After noting clusters of intervention components, five groups were formed focused on: (1) talking about parental mental illness, (2) improving parenting skills, (3) long-term tailored support for the whole family, (4) groups for parents with mental illness, and (5) family therapy. Twenty-three quantitative evaluations and 13 qualitative evaluations had been conducted but only eight interventions have or are being evaluated using a randomized controlled trial (RCT). More RCTs of these interventions are needed, in addition to further analysis of the components that are the most effective in changing outcomes for both the parent and their children, in order to support parents with psychosis and their families.

[Prevention for children with parents with depression or anxiety : National and international approaches and their age specificity]

BACKGROUND

Children of mentally ill parents are exposed to a multitude of burdens due to the diseases of their parents. Age-related preventive measures and interventions are needed to minimize the risk for the development of psychiatric disorders by the children themselves.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was the documentation of preventive options on a national and international level for children of different age groups between 3 and 14 years with parents with depressive or anxiety disorders.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted to identify current evidence-based preventive interventions measures for these target groups and analyzed with respect to age-specific aspects and evidence.

RESULTS

From screening 107,573 publications 43 interventions could be found. After examining the evidence of the interventions 25 projects could be included in the analysis For each of the different age groups the intervention with the best evidence is presented in this article.

CONCLUSION

Many interventions were found but most of them were not sufficiently evaluated or psychometrically defined; however, the few well-evaluated evidence-based projects for children mostly addressed the age-specific needs. Projects for preschool age children mostly worked with the parents and referred to elements of parental training. For schoolchildren there were various preventive projects that especially worked with increasing the self-esteem and the development of coping strategies. Projects for adolescents worked with psychoeducation and increasing social connectedness. Across all age groups there was no comprehensive and cross-system networking between the interventions.