W3 families and mental health

Question 1

Functional v Dysfunctional

Answer 1

• Consider ‘family life patterns’ rather than the ‘family’
• Function is doing what works
• What does the family think is normal
• Dysfunctional patterns may be associated with distress

Question 2

Family life cycle

Answer 2

• Launching of the single young adult
• The joining of families through marriage
• Becoming parents: families with young children
• The transformation of the family system in adolescence
• Families at midlife: launching children and moving on

Question 3

Family structure

Answer 3

• Work of Minuchin (1974)
• There must be a power hierarchy- parents and children on different levels
• Complementarity of function between husband and wife interdependent and work as a team
• Subsystems: Spouse, Parental, Sibling

Question 4

Styles of parenting

Answer 4

• Authoritarian
• Authoritative
• Uninvolved
• Permissive

*look up images

Question 5

Effects of parenting styles

Answer 5

• look up image

Question 6

Issues in families that affect parenting

Answer 6

• The parent with a chronic health problem
• The parent with a mental health problem
• The parent with a substance disorder
• Domestic violence

Question 7

Parent with a chronic health problem

Answer 7

• Lack of stability in the family
• Burden of care
• Financial impact
• Lifestyle modification
• Relationship strain
• Family role changes

Question 8

Impact on family life - parent with chronic health problem

Answer 8

• Parental overprotection-fear of children’s illness
• Higher rates of school absenteeism
• Family isolation
• Family priority shifts

Question 9

Parent with a mental health problem

Answer 9

• Children whose parents have mental illness are at heightened risk of adverse consequences other than maltreatment, including:

◦ developing mental health problems as they get older
◦ perinatal complications and other health problems in infancy
◦ social and behavioural problems in childhood and adolescence
◦ suffering the consequences of stress associated with caring for parent with a mental illness.

Question 10

Parent with substance abuse problem

Answer 10

• Family instability
◦ Relationship breakdown
◦ unemployment
• Criminal activity
• Parenting styles
• Child mistreatment
• Attachment

Question 11

Impact on child from parental substance abuse

Answer 11

• Academic and cognitive functioning
• Emotional, behavioural and social adjustment
◦ Anxiety
◦ Depression
◦ Conduct disorders
• Vulnerability to substance use

Question 12

Behaviours: children experiencing DV

Answer 12

• act out, over-react, be hostile, impulsive, aggressive or defiant.
• withdraw or dissociate or run away

Question 13

Development: children experiencing DV

Answer 13

• normal development can be impaired.
• regressing or acting younger than their age.
• subconscious way of trying to get to a state where they are safe and secure.
• may be a result of the harm to the brain’s development caused by exposure to trauma.

Question 14

Relationships: children experiencing DV

Answer 14

• avoid closeness and push people away

* may also attach to peers or adults who may be unsafe for them

Question 15

Emotions: children experiencing DV

Answer 15

• often feel fearful, stressed, depressed, angry, anxious or ashamed

Question 16

Learning: children experiencing DV

Answer 16

• may not be able to concentrate at school because they are constantly on the lookout for danger
• detentions, missed school and frequent changes of schools can also affect learning

Question 17

Cognitions: children experiencing DV

Answer 17

• children may have low self-esteem

Question 18

Physical health: children experiencing DV

Answer 18

a range of illnesses may be related to domestic and family violence.

• Headaches,
• stomach aches
• stress reactions (for example rashes or immune system related illnesses)
• sleep disturbances (for example nightmares, insomnia or bedwetting) are common.

Question 19

Assessment required for consent of under 18

Answer 19

*look up image

Question 20

Gillick’s competency (girl under 16)

Answer 20

• that he cannot persuade her to inform her parents or to allow him to inform the parents that she is seeking contraceptive advice;
• that she is very likely to continue having sexual intercourse with or without contraceptive treatment;
• that unless she receives contraceptive advice or treatment her physical or mental health or both are likely to suffer;
• that her best interests require him to give her contraceptive advice, treatment or both without the parental consent

Question 21

Need to report

Answer 21

• Harm to self
• Harm to others
• Someone harming the child

Mandatory reporters:
Teachers, Doctors, RN’s, police officers with child protection responsibilities, a person performing a child advocate function under the
Public Guardian Act 2014.