Think Family, Think Relationship: Factors Influencing Stronger Professional Relationships with Parents Diagnosed with a Mental Illness. A Qualitative Study

Anne Grant , John Devaney, Gavin Davidson, Susan Lagdon, Joe Duffy

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    2 Citations (Scopus)
    15 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    This qualitative study explored how professionals and parents with mental illness experience their relationships with each other, what aspects of interaction promote a constructive relationship and the role of wider organisational and systemic factors. A purposive sample of 30 adult mental health and children’s services professionals, and 21 parents completed semi-structured interviews. Professionals’ transparent, non-judgemental, empathetic and positive approach and ability to form partnerships and to share power with parents were keys in building trusting relationships with them. Professionals’ capacity to use limited self-disclosure of their own personal experiences (i.e. parenting) enabled them to develop constructive relationships with parents. Equally, important was parents’ willingness to form partnerships with professionals and to accept a whole family approach to service delivery. Professionals’ limited understanding of mental illness and focus on administration hindered their relationships with parents. An understanding of what constitutes a constructive relationship between professionals and parents and how it develops may help professionals to reflect upon how they engage parents and to do it well. It may also assist organisations to develop the necessary structures and resources to create the conditions for promoting constructive engagement between professionals and parents.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)945-963
    Number of pages19
    JournalThe British Journal of Social Work
    Volume51
    Issue number3
    Early online date28 Feb 2021
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - 1 Apr 2021

    Bibliographical note

    Funding Information:
    This project was funded by the NI Health and Social Care Board. Permission has been sought and obtained in writing for the publication of the submitted article (22259-1).

    Publisher Copyright:
    © The Author(s) 2021.

    Keywords

    • adult mental health services, children’s services, mental illness, parents, professional relationships, procedural justice.
    • Adult mental health services
    • Professional relationships
    • Procedural justice
    • Parents
    • Children's services
    • Mental illness
    • mental illness
    • children's services
    • professional relationships
    • adult mental health services
    • procedural justice
    • parents

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