Fathers with mental illness: implications for clinicians and health services

Summary A significant proportion of fathers living with their natural, adopted, step or foster children experience mental illness. Psychiatric illness among fathers can have a devastating impact on children's wellbeing, and even milder forms of paternal mental illness can have serious developme...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medical journal of Australia 2013-08, Vol.199 (3 Suppl), p.S34-S36
Main Authors: Fletcher, Richard J, Maharaj, OˈNeil N, Fletcher Watson, Chloe H, May, Chris, Skeates, Nigel, Gruenert, Stefan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Child
Child Development
Child of Impaired Parents - psychology
Family Health
Fathers
Health Services Research
Humans
Mental Disorders - psychology
Mental Disorders - therapy
Parenting - psychology
Physician's Role
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Summary:Summary A significant proportion of fathers living with their natural, adopted, step or foster children experience mental illness. Psychiatric illness among fathers can have a devastating impact on children's wellbeing, and even milder forms of paternal mental illness can have serious developmental effects on children. While several pathways linking paternal mental illness with poor child outcomes have been identified, fathers’ impaired parenting is an important, potentially malleable factor. Clinicians can assist fathers with mental illness and their families by proactively inquiring about children and by exploring fathering‐focused psychological support.
ISSN:0025-729X
1326-5377
DOI:10.5694/mja11.11140