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Centre for Prevention and Intervention in Childhood and Adolescence (CPI)

Campus der Universität Bielefeld
© Universität Bielefeld

KANU - Prevention Program for children with mentally ill parents

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Project duration:

  • 01.10.2008-30.09.2012

Project lead and implementation:

Objective

The aim is to develop a concept for primary prevention of mental problems and disturbed behaviour of children (6-14 years) whose parents suffer from mental health problems (schizophrenic and affective disorders). At the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Bielefeld-Bethel (Intervention group) and the LWL-Klinik Gütersloh (control group) to test and evaluate the aticipated effectivity.

Background

It is well-known from existing studies that children with parents suffering from mental illnesses a more likely to suffer from mental problems and develop disturbed behaviour (e.g. Downey/Coyne 1990; Rutter/Quinton 1984). In families with mentally ill parents extra burdens appear (such as: absence of the parents, lack of communication, loss of social status, stigmatization, tabooing, social shame etc.), which influences the childrens‘ dynamic of development and increase their vulnerability. The study has been conducted, because - despite its high epistemological relevance - until now scientific-based, approved and evaluated concepts of prevention for children with parents suffering from mentall illnesses is lacking.

The offer encompasses four preventive behaviour-oriented and one preventive aligned element.

Parents, children and family discussions: 

In the foreground of the Parents and family discussions stands the information and the enlightenment of both one's parents about the metal disorder as well as the appropriate to the age information and clarification of the children. With the family discussions the aim is to remove all taboos about the illness and eventually reduce fear and feelings of the childrens‘ guilt. A domestic understanding of the ilness should be achieved as well as the improvement of communication about the illnness and the related prolems in the family.

Sponsorships:

Sponsorship are offered, to give children a continious person of reference and offering a longterm and regular support. Furthermore, the sponsorship aims to prevent an accommodation outside the family, which demonstrates a generally high burden for children if one parent has to be treated. Another significant aim is to provide the children with normality and orientation mostly lacking due to the parental relational uncertainty.

Kanu-Parental-Training:

Through the Kanu programm parents shoud be equiped with child-raising skills. The active acceptance of the parental role, an improvement in their relation and communication competences as well as the reduction of psychological crises.

Kanu-Group-Offering for childrens and adolescents: 

The primary preventive Intervention skill-training for children with mentally ill parents is carried out in order to assist their living competences. The three central objectives of the skill-training are:

  1. Normalization
  2. Management of feelings
  3. Management of stressful and crisis situations

Networking and Qualification: 

The current hurdles of cooperation between adult psychiatry and youth welfare often prevent a successful prevention for children with mentally ill parents. In order to improve the cooperation and knowledge about the possibilities of support the project is used as a palltform and the mutual exchange fosters the dialogue in seminars, workshops and expert meetings.

Information Materials & Reports

Press Reviews

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