| Abstract [eng] |
Purpose: To review literature about the impact of severe parental psychiatric disorders on children’s health, to interview psychiatrists about the peculiarities of organizing help in Lithuania and prepare recommendations about the possibilities of organizing help for children of mentally ill parents in Lithuania. Tasks: (1) To review scientific publications about the impact of severe parental mental illness (bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia) on children's physical and mental health also about children resilience and risk factors and the possibilities of providing help to these children (2) Carry out a questionnaire survey of psychiatrists and examine how much and what kind of help children of mentally ill parents in Lithuania receive. (3) Based on the scientific literature and the results of the survey, to prepare recommendatios on the possibilities of organizing help to children of parents with severe mental disorders in Lithuania. Methods: Articles were selected using SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, PubMed databases and Google Scholar information retrieval system. The review includes publications in english and lithuanian published from 2012 to 2022 using keywords "parent“, „mental illness “, „children“, and „health“. Also a questionnaire was prepared using the website www.apklausa.lt and sent to psychiatrists via work e-mails, mental health centers and the Lithuanian Psychiatric Association. Results: Parental psychiatric disorders have a negative impact on children’s development, physical and mental health, and disrupts normal social functioning. The negative effects of severe parental mental illness can be avoided by adjustment of protective and risk factors, as well as by providing specialized assistance. This help is not easily available to everyone due to a lack of funding and mental health professionals working with families. The results of the survey shows that in Lithuania too little attention is paid to the health problems of children of parents with severe mental illness, also there is a lack of funding, inter-institutional cooperation, and mental health specialist working with families. |
