Do Parents and Children have Common Perceptions of Admission,Treatment and Outcome in a Child Psychiatric Unit?

Abstract

This investigation sought to establish how both child and parent from the same family viewed psychiatric input, its functioning and effects, and whether they shared similar perceptions. It was intended to redress the balance regarding an earlier study which focused on how staff attitudes, education, training, values and philosophies might affect therapeutic relationships in a child psychiatric unit (Chesson, 1996). A survey of children attending the inpatient psychiatric unit at the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital, as well as of their parents, was carried out over an 18-month period. Interviews were held prior to hospitalization and during inpatient stay, and took place on at least one occasion in the children's homes. Main findings were that a third of the children had not been informed by parents about admission (a view supported by parental comments), only two children saw the unit as a hospital, and that parents and children were not able to provide a clear reason for admission. Limited understanding of treatment and the work of the multidisciplinary team was evident, and parents seldom reported receiving any professional help themselves. A graduation emerged from younger/less intelligent children having a less accurate perception of reasons for inpatient stay to older/more intelligent children having one of greater accuracy. Children's satisfaction appeared related to outcome as measured by parental perception, but not scores on the Rutter's (1967) Child Behavioural Questionnaire. Parents' and children's views on several issues were incongruent, and it is suggested that this has significant implications for treatment.