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Family and caregivers’ experience of mental illness in migrants with intellectual disability – reflections on practice
- Authors:
- HELLERUD Jane Margrete Askeland, BAKKEN Trine Lise
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 13(2), 2019, pp.76-88.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the families’ and professional caregivers’ experience of mental health services for patients in the migrant population with intellectual disability (ID). Design/methodology/approach: To highlight this rarely studied topic, the authors chose a qualitative approach, using a semi-structured interview guide. The authors performed a search for relevant articles. Three families of former patients of a specialized psychiatric inpatient unit and 12 professional caregivers were interviewed. The interviews were taped, transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis. Findings: In total, 17 themes from the families’ answers and 14 themes from the caregivers’ answers were grouped into four main themes each. Two main themes were identical for both groups: perspectives on mental illness and “the Norwegian system.” Additionally, the families were concerned about the impact on the patient and family and coping strategies. The caregivers highlighted patient–caregiver interaction and family–caregiver interaction. Research limitations/implications: Further research should include the patients’ opinions based on the findings of this study. Also, studies including larger samples from both specialist services and community services are needed to develop evidence-based services for these patients. Practical implications: Proposed adaptations to enable assessment and treatment of mental illness in migrants with ID should be adapted to cultural preferences. The following adaptations are proposed: inclusion of the entire family, awareness of cultural dimensions, information about the health care system, education in mental illness, the use of interpreters and adequate time spent with the families. Originality/value: Mental health services for this group are an understudied topic. Clinical experience indicates that professionals struggle when providing services for such patients. (Edited publisher abstract)
Maternal intellectual disability and infant neglect: child welfare risk assessments in Norway, England and California, USA
- Author:
- TEFRE Oyvind S.
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 47(7), 2017, pp.2014-2031.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This paper examines how a sample of 297 child welfare workers in Norway, England and the state of California in the USA assess risk based on a vignette that combines parent intellectual disability and infant neglect. The study combines fixed-choice and open-ended questions. Workers first attach a risk score to the case and then explain in their own words the reasons behind their assessment. Key findings show that workers across all countries agree that this is a high-risk case. However, reasons behind the assessments vary across countries. Californians display a greater range and more uniform reasoning compared to the English and Norwegians, and differ in their concern with mother’s cognitive functioning, and child age and health. English and Norwegians are generally more similar, but differ on attention to social and environmental factors and attention to the mother’s cognitive functioning. The findings are discussed in relation to research on parental intellectual disability, child welfare orientation and familiarity with assessment tools. The study supports existing research on parental intellectual disability in the child welfare system. The author argues that both child welfare orientation and assessment tools are important to understand these differences in reasoning. (Edited publisher abstract)