Parents have a critical role in any child’s development particularly their psychological health. The idea is driven not only by relationship models developed over time regarding the interaction of parent and their children but also by statistical data suggesting significant correlation to the actual incidence of juvenile mental health problems, schizophrenia in particular, with negative parental experience (Tonge et al, 2008; . Martin et al, 2008; Tough et al, 2008; Milne et al, 2008). This reinforces the role of parent as primarily responsible for the care and well-being of children.
Congruently, this also raises their perceived liability of parents when children develop conditions considered to be negative from the norm (Meyers & Youngstrom, 2008). Though the attribution or responsibility has its merits, parents in general have limited capability or expertise to detect mental health indicators, particularly when children are still in their infancy to toddler years of development (Martin et al, 2008). On the other hand, neglect and abuse suffered by children at this stage have been recognized as the most likely source of trauma for the development of schizophrenia and psychosis among others (Salokangas & McGlashan, 2008).
Due to sociological and psychological foundation of such beliefs, despite recognition of limited or highly qualified evidence for such an assumption, persistence of the belief system has not been easily addressed (Tough et al, 2008; Milne et al, 2008). Lack of skills for and innate sensitivity of good parenting to mental health development creates psychological and social precepts that predispose negative attribution to parents and family of children who are diagnosed with mental health issues.
Regardless if it was done deliberately, negligently or whether there was any available option for parents or families to impact mental health status of the children, their perceived fault is among the most attributed factor for the incidence and prevalence of for children’s mental health issues.
References
Martin, C. A. , Cook, C. , Woodring, J. H. , Burkhardt, G. , Guenthner, G. , Omar, H. A. and Kelly, T. H. (2008). Caffeine use: association with nicotine use, aggression, and other psychopathology in psychiatric and pediatric outpatient adolescents. ScientificWorldJournal 8:512-6.
Meyers, O. I. and Youngstrom, E. A. (2008). A Parent General Behavior Inventory Subscale to Measure Sleep Disturbance in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder. J Clin Psychiatry 1:e1-e4 Milne, B. J. , Caspi, A. , Crump, R. , Poulton, R. , Rutter, M. , Sears, M. R. , Moffitt, T. E. (2008). The validity of the family history screen for assessing family history of mental disorders. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet, April 30, 2008. Retrieved on July 12, 2008, from http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/18449865? ordinalpos=56&itool=EntrezSystem2. PEntrez. Pubmed. Pubmed_ResultsPanel. Pubmed_RVDocSumz
Salokangas, R. K. , and McGlashan, T. H. (2008). Early detection and intervention of psychosis. A review. Nord J Psychiatry 62(2):92-105. Tonge, John B. , Hughes, Catherine G. , Pullen, Marie J et al (2008). Comprehensive description of adolescents admitted to a public psychiatric inpatient unit and their families. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 42(7):627-35. Tough, S. C. , Siever, . JE. , Leew, S. , Johnston, D. W. , Benzies, K. and Clark, D. (2008). Maternal mental health predicts risk of developmental problems at 3 years of age: follow up of a community based trial. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 6;8:16.