Growing up with a parent with schizophrenia: what children say they need
| Published date | 02 December 2010 |
| Date | 02 December 2010 |
| Pages | 31-42 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5042/jcs.2010.0693 |
| Author | Siu Chan,Ying Heidi |
| Subject Matter | Education,Health & social care,Sociology |
Journal of Children’s Ser vices • V olume 5 Issue 4 • Dece mber 2010 © P ier Professional Ltd 31
Abstract
Despite the rich literature on the effects of parental mental health problems on child
development, the needs of children of mentally ill parents have been overlooked in both
research and services. This study investigated the needs of a neglected group, namely
Chinese adolescent children of parents with schizophrenia, in order to gain insights into the
design of programmes for these adolescents. In-depth interviews were conducted individually
with five Chinese adolescent girls whose mother or father was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Analysis of the interview data revealed four common themes: stigma and discrimination;
mixed feelings of love and anger; the role of being a carer; and positive gains. The results
shed light on the importance of taking cultural context into consideration when providing
services for these children and further conducting research in this area. Although mental
health problems are regarded as a taboo and associated with shame in Chinese culture, these
children, out of a respect for their parents (‘filial piety’1), showed a strong sense of loyalty to
their parents and suppressed their anger and sorrow for their parents’ sake. Implications for
social services for children whose parents have mental health problems and suggestions for
future research are discussed.
Key words
schizophrenia; mental health problems; parents; stigma; young carer; Chinese culture
married, many have divorced or their partners
have left them, and their children have become
their only family members. These children bear the
responsibilities of a carer and at the same time the
family stigma associated with mental illness, but are
powerless within the family and the social system
(Mordoch & Hall, 2002).
Introduction
In Hong Kong, because of the scarcity of resources
and a philosophy of social integration, there is a
heavy reliance on family care-giving for individuals
suffering from mental health problems. However,
living with a family member with mental health
problems can be very stressful. Among those
individuals with mental health problems who have
Growing up with a parent
with schizophrenia: what
children say they need
Siu Mui Chan
Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong, China
Heidi, Ying Suet Chau
Baptist Oi Kwan Social Services, Hong Kong, China
10.5042/jcs.2010.0693
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