Influence of Child’s Psychotic Disorder on the Family’s Quality of Life

Overview

The authors evaluated in an open pilot study the wellbeing of parents of psychotic children. The investigatedsample comprised 47 parents aged 36.3 ± 4.3 years which was divided into two groups. The first group comprised20 parents of autistic children and the second group 27 parents of schizophrenic children. The wellbeing of theparents was evaluated by means of a WHO questionnaire at the time of the child’s admission to hospital, duringhospitalization and after discharge into domiciliary care. The authors found a low level of wellbeing. The wellbeingwas worst at the time of admission to hospital. During hospitalization of the children the parents’ wellbeingimproved significantly. After discharge into domiciliary care the parents’ wellbeing declined but was higher thanat the time of admission. Psychotic disorders of the child cause deterioration of the parents’wellbeing. The authorsdiscuss the relationship between the parents’ wellbeing and the duration, intensity, dynamics of changes of thepsychopathological symptomatology of the child. Investigation of the wellbeing of the parents of psychotic childrenis important in practice. Management of children with psychotic disorders must be extended by management oftheir parents, incl. psychotherapy and education.

Key words:
quality of life, wellbeing, family, psychotic child