The experience of the children of patients detained in secure psychiatric settings

Argent, Sarah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5108-8925 2022. The experience of the children of patients detained in secure psychiatric settings. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

Preview	PDF - Accepted Post-Print Version Download (11MB) | Preview
	PDF (Cardiff University Electronic Publication Form) - Supplemental Material Restricted to Repository staff only Download (1MB)

Abstract

This thesis examines the experience of the offspring of parents who have been detained in secure forensic psychiatric hospitals. Such hospitals accommodate patients who have a major psychiatric disorder who also present a serious risk to others. Offspring therefore experience several adverse childhood experiences. In the absence of any research literature on these offspring, I conducted scoping reviews on the key facets of such offspring’s experience – parental major psychiatric disorder, parental serious risk to others and parent-child separation. A review of systematic reviews was completed regarding parental psychiatric disorder. Outcomes included increased risk of offspring psychiatric disorder and/or behavioural, emotional, cognitive, or social difficulties compared to children of well parents. No review focussed on strengths. Clinical records were used to examine a 9-year cohort of secure psychiatric hospital patients. Nearly half (46%) of the patients were parents and over half of the children (60%) were under-18-years-old at the time of the parent’s admission. Parent-patients were less likely to have diagnostic comorbidity or to have accessed psychiatric care in childhood than childless patients but were more likely to have committed a homicide/life-threatening offence and towards someone known to them. Parent-child contact was examined, finding that under-18-year-olds were more likely to lose all contact with their parent than adult-aged offspring. Finally, adult aged offspring were interviewed in a qualitative study using Grounded Theory techniques. A core concern of ‘chaos and confusion’ emerged from the data, but this was resolved through a sense of ‘stability, security, and autonomy’. Although a model emerged from the data, data saturation was not reached, and the results must be treated cautiously. Recruitment was challenging and barriers are discussed. Stigma, which presents throughout the thesis is also discussed as well as the risks presented to the offspring related to them having a parent in a secure psychiatric hospital.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Medicine
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	16 December 2022
Last Modified:	07 Jan 2024 03:21
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/154990

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item