scholarly journals The family as a place of education. Between a school-centred focus on education and family needs

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 93-113
Author(s):  
Ulrike Loch

The results of the PISA studies over recent years have revealed the social selectivity of the scholastic education system. Based on my empirical research on families with mentally ill parents, I show how, for the children involved, social exclusion begins before they even start school; how the parents' mental illness is seen to affect the children, and what support the families in question require. This shows how important it is to take family coping situations into account in the educational discourse on the child and youth welfare services and formal education systems.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
T. Becker ◽  
S. Kilian ◽  
R. Kilian ◽  
C. Lahmeyer ◽  
S. Krumm

Objective:Given that parental mental diseases affect the whole family system, a family centered support and help system seems appropriate for families with a mentally ill mother/father. However, the majority of mental health services do not integrate interventions for the family system into psychiatric treatment programs.Aims:To introduce a counselling and support service for families with a mentally ill parent (FIPS) that has been established at a psychiatric hospital serving a large catchments area. Preliminary results of a qualitative study that focused on the clients’ family background as well as on their reasons for utilising the service and service satisfaction will be presented.Methods:Factors that impact the family system are considered and brought to a concept for counselling and support service for families with a mentally ill parent. Problem-focused interviews with 14 clients (mentally ill parents and relatives) of the counselling service for families were subjected to content analysis.Results:Most clients came to the counselling centre because of worries that the parent's mental illness might negatively affect children's well-being. Mentally ill mothers described their daily lives as utterly burdensome and also reported strong feelings of guilt towards their children. The concept of FIPS includes psychoeducation, social therapy, case management and family therapy. Clients assessed the counselling service as helpful and reported some significant changes.



PEDIATRICS ◽  
1964 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-71
Author(s):  
Juanita Turk

This study was undertaken to determine whether families of children with cystic fibrosis were experiencing difficulties in meeting family needs and in maintaining normal family relationships. It was found that families were not deprived of the essentials of living, but they were not able to maintain their usual pattern of family relationships. Time and energy precluded carrying on activities with each other and with the children; and there was breakdown in their ability to communicate adequately between themselves and the children regarding important family issues. In order to preserve the family as a functioning unit, someone has to be concerned about the entire family. Of necessity, the family has focused on the sick child, leaving the physician, the nurse, the social worker and/or the social agencies to help the family refocus on its total situation, rather than just a part of it. Traditionally, the mother takes care of the sick child. It is she who takes the child to the doctor's office and is responsible for carrying out his recommendations. In the care of a CF child, she assumes a heavy burden and frequently is fatigued from this responsibility. Because she is so tired and so occupied, she may misunderstand or distort what she is told by the physician, and may not be able to tell her husband or the children what they need to know in order to participate in family activities and in the care of the CF child. This situation can easily lead to misunderstanding and tension within the family. To avoid this, both parents could be encouraged, at some point, to come together to the physician's office for discussion. Such discussions could lead to more consideration and appreciation being given to each other. It might lessen the tendency for each to blame the other for the child's illness and could avoid the feeling voiced by one mother, "I would like to blow him out of his chair so that he would help me and understand what I go through." We also need to realize that the CF child is frequently aware of the demands he makes on the family. If these demands are not discussed freely, then everyone is caught in a "web of silence" revolving around his own feelings of frustration. This creates a burden for everyone, including the CF child, and if not discussed it can impair the psychological functioning of all members. The CF child needs to be encouraged to participate in his own care program and to assume some responsibilities for himself. He should not reach the age of seven being unable to tie his own shoes or dress himself, as has been observed in some CF children. It would seem feasible, therefore, that the CF child should have an awareness of what is wrong with him, and what his abilities and limitations are. The other siblings should also be given as much explanation as possible because they, too, are part of the family and attention and care is being diverted from them. This explanation could make for more understanding on the sibling's part. While it would still be difficult for him to accept some of the decisions made (such as why the parents could not get home from the hospital in order for him to use the family car for a senior prom), he would know that it was the situation that was causing the decrease in attention and care rather than rejection of him by the parents. In order to give these families as much assistance as possible, the community's resources should be utilized. Frequently, the parents are unaware of these or need encouragement to avail themselves of services. The homemaker service or visiting nurse service could free the family from constant care; the local youth program could be helpful to the siblings in the family, and Family Service Agencies could be used for counseling on family problems. In summary, this study points up the need for the total family to have an understanding and awareness of CF and to share such knowledge with one another; that all problems of the family have to be considered and not just those of the CF child; and that help from other professional people should be utilized along with sources of the community.



2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aditi Rana

Mental illness is a growing reality of our times. Usually in a typical Indian family, the parents act as the primary caregivers for the child suffering from mental disorder. For adult sufferers, it can also be siblings or offspring, and  at times even spouse or partner. Research on the experiences of families of mentally ill people has been minimal in the Indian context. This study aims to shift the focus from the mentally ill patients to the suffering of the caregivers and families of the patient keeping in mind the interconnected well being of the family in a collectivist culture. Following a qualitative approach, narratives have been taken from the family members of mentally ill (narratives of 8 families with mentally ill person) and also the mental health professionals (two) through semi structured interviews. The findings suggest that the family members suffer from a significant amount of stress accompanied by burden. Also, they feel secluded from the society and experience a lack of assistance to deal with the mentally ill member of the family.



PEDIATRICS ◽  
1967 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 504-507

DR. RICHARD OLMSTED: I would like to ask both Dr. Green and Dr. Friedman about the matter of the child being in the hospital as opposed to being at home. What effect does this have on the child, and, conversely perhaps, what effect does it have on the parents who are keeping a child who may be close to being terminal at home? Very often we adopt the philosophy that it is better for the child to be at home, but I am sure this creates difficulties for parents at times. DR. Morris Green: We usually assume in this country that terminal care can best be handled in the hospital; however, in recent years we have questioned this concept, and now we like to have as much of this care occur at home as is practicable. In order to do this effectively, however, we should provide the family with supportive services from the hospital, a type of home care program involving the physician, the social worker, and the nurse. With some of our recent patients the nurse has been present in the home at the time of death and has made visits frequently before that time. The hospital physician has also been there. We do not have sufficient data on this, but I think there are many things to be said in its favor. As we are now examining other aspects of hospital care of children, we should also examine this method of terminal care. Is it best for the child to be in the hospital at this time or can he be cared for better at home with supplementary services from the hospital? Certainly I think this is an area in which the personal physician of the family needs to have some support from the community oriented hospital.



Author(s):  
Stephen Gichuhi Kimotho

Besides health and social costs, mentally ill, often, are also victims of stigma and discrimination, among many communities in Africa. Cultural beliefs, stereotypes are some of the social constructions used to perpetuate mental illness stigma. The purpose of this study was to describe the nature of stigma communication associated with mental illness, beliefs and stereotypes underpinning mental illness stigma. Generally, the findings indicate nature of mental illness stigma communication is an intersection of stigma messages, cultural beliefs, and stereotypes associated with mental illness. Cultural beliefs associated with mental illness are inextricably intertwined with the perceived causes of mental illness (which include curses, witchcraft, cultural misdemeanor, and possession by spirits or demons). Symptoms of mental illness (mainly aggression and nudity) mark the mentally ill as different and expose them to labeling by the rest of the community. Generally, the mentally ill are stereotyped as aggressive, symbol of shame, and unpredictable.



Author(s):  
Samuel Teague ◽  
Peter Robinson

This chapter reflects on the importance of the historical narrative of mental illness, arguing that Western countries have sought new ways to confine the mentally ill in the post-asylum era, namely through the effects of stigma and medicalization. The walls are invisible, when once they were physical. The chapter outlines how health and illness can be understood as socially constructed illustrating how mental health has been constructed uniquely across cultures and over time. To understand this process more fully, it is necessary to consider the history of madness, a story of numerous social flashpoints. The trajectories of two primary mental health narratives are charted in this chapter. The authors argue that these narratives have played, and continue to play, an important role in the social construction of mental illness. These narratives are “confinement” and “individual responsibility.” Drawing on the work of Michel Foucault and Roy Porter, the authors describe how Western culture has come to consider the mentally ill as a distinct, abnormal other.



Author(s):  
Donald W. Winnicott

In this talk delivered to social workers, Winnicott brings his understanding of professional psychiatry, with its attempts to treat severe mental illness using a more humane approach, together with his belief in dynamic psychology—the emotional development of the individual derived from the study of psychoanalysis—into a closer connection with one another. He charts a brief outline of psychoanalysis and interprets the psychoses through it. He sees the importance of early environmental factors in mental illness and the possible effects of this on maturation. He comments on depression both normal and psychotic in type, on his theories of personalization, of feeling real, and, through early dependence, the gradual growth of the functioning self. He also gives an empathic view of the role of the social worker in the difficult work of treating acute mental ill health.



2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
L. Stoica

The Alzheimer disease affects mostly old people but sometimes even adults; it manifests itself as a series of brain modifications which determine several perturbations: thinking, memory, language, mood disturbances. All these disturbances take place gradually and strengthens as the illness advances. The exact causes that determine the Alzheimer disease are still unknown, that is why it can not be prevented or cured. Although, a diagnostic in the first stages and treatment as soon as possible is absolutely necessary for slowing it's evolution.Unfortunately, the number of persons affected by Alzheimer is rising in Transylvania region. I estimated that only 12-15% of the cases are discovered in the early stages. The effect of the illness doesn't just affect the ill one, but all his family. Taking care of someone who suffers from Alzheimer means a lot of effort, because he needs permanently supervision and help in any kind of activity. Moreover, most of the times, the family is notable to take care of the sick person at home, and it has to take him to a residential center. Although, this is not always the best solution, especially that after being institutionalized, they are often having a nervous breakdown and the disease has a bad evolution. The social worker plays a very important role in helping the person who suffers from Alzheimer. The social intervention has to consider not only the specific needs of the ill, but also the family needs and it has to take place in both directions.



2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S400-S400
Author(s):  
M. Elsheikh ◽  
H. Haltenhof ◽  
M.H. Bahary

IntroductionStigma and discrimination experienced by persons suffering from mental illness, unlike other medical conditions, recognized as a barrier in countries rich and poor, and in countries with well-developed mental health services and those with limited services. It was hypothesized that depression may affect patients’ attitude towards mental illness “public stigma” as well as self-stigmatization and that there will be a difference between Egyptians and Germans.AimsThis study sets out to identify and compare public–and self-stigma among depressed women in two different communities.ObjectivesTo test findings from transcultural comparative study of two patient groups of depressed women from two different communities. Participants were 50 adult females diagnosed with depression from Egypt and Germany.MethodParticipants completed after clinical interviewing and diagnosis with depression two questionnaires: the inventory of attitude towards mental illness (Shokeer, 2002) and the explanatory model interview catalogue EMIC (Weis et al., 2001).ResultsAnalysis indicates that positive attitudes towards mental illness were more for the German respondents than for the Egyptians. There were significant differences between the two groups in the causal attributions of mental illness. Psychotherapy was widely accepted in the two groups as a helpful method for treatment of mental illness.ConclusionIt was concluded that the traditional beliefs affect the understanding of illness causality and that the subjective experience of depression may affect attitude towards mental illness and mentally ill people. The effect of the social desirability is discussed.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.



2021 ◽  
Vol IV (4) ◽  
pp. 25-35
Author(s):  
Devi Yulianti ◽  
◽  
Intan Fitri Meutia ◽  

The family as the unit in the social system has an important role and becomes the first social environment to introduce love, affection, social culture, and religion. When the world is suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the families are also affected by some impacts included: family health problems; family economic; family harmonization; family socio-psychology; and socio-culture. The family health is composed of fundamental dimensions: family social climate; family integrity; family functioning; family resistance and family coping. The family coping concept is the capacity of the family to confront, mobilize, and act on stressful events. This article illustrates the aspects of family health and coping strategies in the midst of the COVID-19 in Indonesia. It aims to inform and be the reference for further study related to the family adaptation in the corona crisis. We reviewed many works of literature in the form of articles from various journals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, families must be able to survive. COVID-19 pandemic does not only affect physical but also mental health. The way to deal with the events depend on family characteristics, the severity of the events and family support. There are two types of coping strategies that families in Indonesia usually adopt including reducing expense and increasing income.



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