Navigating the storm of mental illness: phases in the family's journey.

Full Abstract

About 1.25 million American families live with persistently mentally ill members. Costs, personal and public, are substantial. Research providing holistic understanding of the processes these families experience is needed. This qualitative study's objectives were to (a) examine the process holistically and (b) search for patterns in families' experiences. The author used a framework of symbolic interaction and dramaturgical interviewing. Twenty-six respondents participated in a semistructured interview. Results indicated that families typically experienced six phases:
development of awareness, crisis, instability and recurrent crises, movement toward stability, continuum of stability, and growth and advocacy. Needs characteristic of each phase were evident. Additional research is needed to determine if phases are consistent in other groups and to develop interventions appropriate for each phase.

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Author information

Author/s: Muhlbauer, Susan A (SA);

Affiliation: University of Nebraska College of Nursing, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Evaluation Studies; Journal Article

Journal: Qualitative health research (Qual Health Res), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Oct; vol 12 (issue 8) : pp 1076-92

Dates: Created 2002/10/07; Completed 2002/11/04; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 12365589, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: Evid Based Nurs. 2003 Jul;6(3):94. (PMID: 12882207)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adaptation, Psychological - classification
Adolescent
Adult
Affective Disorders, Psychotic
Aged
Cost of Illness
Crisis Intervention
Decision Making
Family - psychology
Family Relations
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

Holistic Health
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Life Change Events
Male
Mental Health Services - economics; standards
Mentally Ill Persons - psychology
Middle Aged
Patient Advocacy
Professional-Family Relations
Schizophrenia
United States

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