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Conference Paper: The protector, the coach and the nurse: the experiences of parents of young adults with early psychosis

TitleThe protector, the coach and the nurse: the experiences of parents of young adults with early psychosis
Authors
Issue Date2014
PublisherHong Kong Academy of Medicine Press. The Journal's web site is located at http://easap.asia/index.htm
Citation
The 2014 Regional Congress of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), Hong Kong, 12-14 December 2014. In East Asian Archives of Psychiatry, 2014, v. 24 n. 4 suppl., p. S56, abstract OP1.2.1 How to Cite?
AbstractBACKGROUND: Family support is considered a crucial element of positive rehabilitation outcomes for early psychosis. This interpretive phenomenological study provides insights on the beliefs, roles, struggles, and needs of parents of young adults with early psychosis. METHODS: Eight parents of young adults (under 30 years old) identifying themselves as main caregivers were recruited via a hospital psychiatric clinic. Seven mothers and one father (aged 41-62 years) participated in a semi-structured interview on the illness experience and their parenting capacities. RESULTS: Almost all parents assumed full responsibility to take care of their child’s condition (as with other illnesses), placing upon themselves the obligation to help patients recover. Most parents learned to relinquish prior academic / career expectations or family rules, shifting the parental priority towards creating peaceful, stabilising environments and maintaining harmonious relationships with patients. To stabilise patient emotions, parents may even fulfill patients’ superstitious requests. A struggle which prevailed across families was balancing unconditional acceptance and support with disciplining (avoiding over-indulgence and patient-identities) which was manifested when patients were seen as ‘lazy’, emotional outbursts, etc. Parents saw upon themselves a need to coach patients on coping with auditory hallucinations and handling emotions, often with self-derived tactics or through value cultivation. Underlying that was a deep-seated belief that a change in cognition, rather than medicine, would be the ultimate cure for their child. Parents were also the keystones for medication adherence, battling personal beliefs about medication efficacy while advocating for dose reduction. While trying to understand their child, parents put up with constant blame despite an utter lack of support. CONCLUSIONS: Lived experiences provided insight on effective and non-stigmatising services for family members which they themselves felt was lacking. Practical suggestions proposed by parents would be shared.
DescriptionCongress Theme: Yin and Yang of Mental Health in Asia - Balancing Polaritie
Oral Presentation 1.2 – Severe Mental Illness (I): no. OP1.2.1
Persistent Identifierhttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/216350
ISSN
2023 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.364

 

DC FieldValueLanguage
dc.contributor.authorChan, CKP-
dc.contributor.authorLo, PHY-
dc.contributor.authorHo, RTH-
dc.date.accessioned2015-09-17T06:35:33Z-
dc.date.available2015-09-17T06:35:33Z-
dc.date.issued2014-
dc.identifier.citationThe 2014 Regional Congress of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), Hong Kong, 12-14 December 2014. In East Asian Archives of Psychiatry, 2014, v. 24 n. 4 suppl., p. S56, abstract OP1.2.1-
dc.identifier.issn2078-9947-
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/216350-
dc.descriptionCongress Theme: Yin and Yang of Mental Health in Asia - Balancing Polaritie-
dc.descriptionOral Presentation 1.2 – Severe Mental Illness (I): no. OP1.2.1-
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND: Family support is considered a crucial element of positive rehabilitation outcomes for early psychosis. This interpretive phenomenological study provides insights on the beliefs, roles, struggles, and needs of parents of young adults with early psychosis. METHODS: Eight parents of young adults (under 30 years old) identifying themselves as main caregivers were recruited via a hospital psychiatric clinic. Seven mothers and one father (aged 41-62 years) participated in a semi-structured interview on the illness experience and their parenting capacities. RESULTS: Almost all parents assumed full responsibility to take care of their child’s condition (as with other illnesses), placing upon themselves the obligation to help patients recover. Most parents learned to relinquish prior academic / career expectations or family rules, shifting the parental priority towards creating peaceful, stabilising environments and maintaining harmonious relationships with patients. To stabilise patient emotions, parents may even fulfill patients’ superstitious requests. A struggle which prevailed across families was balancing unconditional acceptance and support with disciplining (avoiding over-indulgence and patient-identities) which was manifested when patients were seen as ‘lazy’, emotional outbursts, etc. Parents saw upon themselves a need to coach patients on coping with auditory hallucinations and handling emotions, often with self-derived tactics or through value cultivation. Underlying that was a deep-seated belief that a change in cognition, rather than medicine, would be the ultimate cure for their child. Parents were also the keystones for medication adherence, battling personal beliefs about medication efficacy while advocating for dose reduction. While trying to understand their child, parents put up with constant blame despite an utter lack of support. CONCLUSIONS: Lived experiences provided insight on effective and non-stigmatising services for family members which they themselves felt was lacking. Practical suggestions proposed by parents would be shared.-
dc.languageeng-
dc.publisherHong Kong Academy of Medicine Press. The Journal's web site is located at http://easap.asia/index.htm-
dc.relation.ispartofEast Asian Archives of Psychiatry-
dc.relation.ispartof東亞精神科學志-
dc.rightsEast Asian Archives of Psychiatry. Copyright © Hong Kong Academy of Medicine Press.-
dc.titleThe protector, the coach and the nurse: the experiences of parents of young adults with early psychosis-
dc.typeConference_Paper-
dc.identifier.emailHo, RTH: tinho@hku.hk-
dc.identifier.authorityHo, RTH=rp00497-
dc.description.naturelink_to_OA_fulltext-
dc.identifier.hkuros253695-
dc.identifier.volume24-
dc.identifier.issue4 suppl.-
dc.identifier.spageS56, abstract OP1.2.1-
dc.identifier.epageS56, abstract OP1.2.1-
dc.publisher.placeHong Kong-
dc.identifier.issnl2078-9947-

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