Children of mentally ill parents. Effects of a therapy-integrated family intervention.

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Background: Mental illness often involves stress and specific influences. Especially children of mentally ill parents experience additional stressors, such as increased parental conflicts, a disease-related inconsistent and dysfunctional parenting behavior and usually a less supportive environment. Because of this, the aim of this study is to examine whether an integration of the behavioral family intervention ‘Triple P’ reduces parental symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as the child’s problem behavior and dysfunctional parenting behavior. Methods: The sample comprised a patient group (n = 22) and a healthy comparison group (n = 20). Results: Results show that mental health, dysfunctional and functional parenting, and child behavior improved significantly. Conclusions: In summary, the results underscore the relevance of the inclusion of a parenting- related intervention in an outpatient individual-psychotherapy setting in order to prevent family problems. Abstract (German) Hintergrund: Eine psychische Erkrankung bringt viele Belastungen mit sich. Insbesondere die Kinder psychisch kranker Eltern erleben zu den Entwicklungsaufgaben zusatzliche Stressoren, wie vermehrte elterliche Konflikte bis hin zur Scheidung, ein krankheitsbedingtes inkonsequentes und dysfunktionales Erziehungsverhalten und eine meist weniger unterstutzende Umgebung. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, zu uberprufen, ob durch die behaviorale Familienintervention <