Table 2 Characteristics of included papers
Authors (year) | Country | Participants | Study Design | Quality rating | Aim of study | Key qualitative findings related to the hospitalization of parents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blegen et al. [37] | Norway | Mothers (n = 10) with children aged 0–18 years, admitted to a hospital unit; diagnoses included: depression, anxiety, bipolar, disorder, ADHD | Semi-structured interviews, analysis with philosophical hermeneutics | 40.5 | To understand the experience of being cared for in psychiatric care as a patient and as a parent | Parental ambivalence: Mothers’ anxiety about disclosing their inner feelings about themselves as a mother to clinicians despite wanting support in this area; a mask of silence provides protection but also causes distance and reduced opportunity for optimal care; struggle between responsibility and condemnation |
Knutsson-Medin et al. [36] | Sweden | Adult children (n = 36): mean age of 25.8 years, range 19–38 years; 15 men, 21 women; parents had been previous psychiatric inpatients | Written survey, manifest content analysis | 52.5 | To examine adult children’s previous experiences of contact with their parent’s psychiatric inpatient services | Children’s needs: Support and information needed from hospital staff and more contact with clinicians Pressure: relief that the parent was being looked after Involvement and guidance: Children were not provided with information about their parent during hospitalization |
Kosman et al. [35] | USA | One 28-year-old mother with postpartum depression and admitted to inpatient psychiatry (not a mother-baby unit) | Case study | 18.5 | To discuss the issues associated with postpartum depression including mother and infant safety, maternal-infant attachment, psychopharmacological options for postpartum depression, and traumatic birth experiences | Parental ambivalence: Parental ambivalence about hospitalization, experiences of emotional difficulties being separated from her infant, logistical and physiological issues associated with breastfeeding and challenges of coordinating childcare during hospitalization |
Maybery et al. [38] | Australia | 5 parents with mood disorder, 3 anxiety, 3 personality disorder, 1 psychotic (total n = 10), partners (n = 2); children (aged 6–16 years) (n = 12). Total n = 24 | Focus groups, qualitative interpretive analysis Quantitative questionnaire, between groups analysis of variance | 51.5 | To examine child, parent and professional perspectives of the needs of children when a parent is an inpatient and how to best meet those needs | Pressure: Older children had to care for themselves while parent was in hospital Involvement and guidance: Families wanted information about the parent’s mental illness Children’s needs: Facilitate opportunities to see their parents; to be recognized/identified by professionals during admission and discharge; siblings are an important source of support |
O'Brien et al. [25] | Australia | Parents (n = 5) discharged from an inpatient facility in the last 12 months; with a child aged 0–18 years, partners (n = 2), children (n = 5) aged between 8–15 years; and grandparents (n = 1). Total n = 13 | Semi-structured interviews, thematic analysis | 47 | To examine perspectives of children, parents and carers towards children visiting parents in inpatient units | Pressure: Family stress when making decisions about children visiting their parent in hospital and caring for children during visits Involvement and guidance: Family involvement in admission interviews was appreciated; wanted guidance on child visitations with parents Children’s needs: Support during visits, including advice and debrief from staff Parental ambivalence: Parents wanting children to visit but also wanting to shield them |
Skundberg-Kletthagen et al. [39] | Norway | Partners (n = 6), grandparents (n = 2), siblings (n = 2), children aged over 18 years (n = 12) and participants who had “other relationships” (n = 2). The parent had been admitted to a psychiatric ward with depression. Total n = 24 | Semi-structured interviews, interpretive phenomenological analysis | 51.5 | To describe experiences of encountering a psychiatric service as a relative of an inpatient with severe depression | Pressure: Difficulty getting parents admitted; burden of care after discharge Involvement and guidance: Families wanted more information about psychiatric services and to be included in decision making, particularly around discharge planning |
Wells et al. [40] | UK | Fathers (n = 8) aged 27–54 years (M = 43 years), admitted in forensic inpatient care with current admissions ranging from 3 months to 9 years; having children aged 2 to 39 years | Semi-structured interviews, grounded theory | 46.5 | To investigate men’s experience of fatherhood in forensic inpatient care | Parental ambivalence: Physical absence not necessarily leading to psychological disconnection; influential factors of psychological connection (e.g., geographical location of hospital admission and financial difficulties, the child’s mother, participants’ own parents, professional support); ways and challenges of fulfilling parenting responsibilities during hospitalization |
Zeighami et al. [41] | Iran | Children (n = 10) aged between 17–26 years, daughter in law (n = 1), grandmothers (n = 2). Parents had mood disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive disorder and had been hospitalized for an average of 13 times. Total n = 13 | Semi-structured interviews, grounded theory | 51 | To explore the mental health needs of children at various stages of their parent’s mental illness | Pressure: Burden on children to convince parents to seek support/admission to the psychiatric unit Children’s needs: People to be with and talk to during parent hospitalization; Involvement and Guidance: After discharge they need guidance and education about the situation |