Continuous exposure to things like high job demands, lack of job resources, change, competitiveness and rivalry, can result in stress and burnout. Stressful events may lead to ill health and might impact negatively on the work-related well-being of employees. Because of the emergence of positive (organisational) psychology, the study of positive aspects of health and well-being are increasingly popular in Occupational Health Psychology. One of these positive aspects is work engagement, which is considered to be the antipode of burnout. Successful diagnoses of work stress, burnout and work engagement is the first step in facilitating the work-related well-being of employees. To measure stress, burnout and work engagement, it is important to use reliable and valid instruments. However, there is a lack of empirical research systematically investigating burnout and work engagement in South Africa, as well as serious limitations, including poorly designed studies, a lack of sophisticated statistical analyses and poorly controlled studies. South Africa is a multicultural society and therefore, when burnout and work engagement measures are applied to different cultural groups, issues of construct equivalence becomes important. Furthermore, little information exists regarding the causes and effects of work stress, burnout and work engagement of teachers in South Africa. The general objective of this research is to standardise the Maslach Burnout Inventory- General Survey (MBI-GS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) for teachers in the North West Province, to determine causes of occupational stress for teachers, to assess the relationship between occupational stress, organisational commitment and ill-health, and to develop and test a causal model of work-related well-being for teachers in the North West Province. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Random, stratified samples of teachers in the North West Province (N = 1177) were taken. An adapted version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), An Organisational Stress Screening Tool (ASSET), the Affectometer 2, the Job Characteristics Inventory (JCI), and a biographical questionnaire were administered. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha coefficients, inter-item correlations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, Pearson correlations, multivariate analysis of variance, one-way analysis of variance and t-tests were used to analyse the data. Structural equation modelling was used to test causal models of work-related well-being. Structural equation modelling confirmed a three-factor model of burnout (Exhaustion, Mental Distance and Professional Efficacy). All three factors showed acceptable internal consistencies and construct equivalence for two language groups. Structural equation modelling also confirmed a three-factor model of work engagement, consisting of Vigour, Dedication and Absorption. Two of the sub-scales, namely Vigour and Dedication showed acceptable internal consistencies. Both the MBI-GS and the UWES showed acceptable construct equivalence. The results showed that practically significant differences exist between demographic groups in their experience of burnout and work engagement. The results confirmed the construct validity and internal consistency of the ASSET. Occupational stress and low individual commitment to the organisation explained 3 1 % of the variance in physical and psychological ill-health. Commitment from the individual to the organisation moderated the effects of occupational stress on physical and psychological health of teachers. The results showed that role overload, unfavourable task characteristics, a lack of control and low positive affect predicted exhaustion. Favourable task characteristics, positive affect and low negative affect predicted professional efficacy. Burnout was related to physical and psychological ill-health. Regarding a model of work-related well-being, the results showed that job demands, a lack of job resources and low positive affect contributed to burnout. Burnout mediated the relationship between job demands and ill-health, while positive affect moderated the relationship between burnout and ill-health. Job resources predicted work engagement. Work engagement mediated the relationship between job resources and organisational commitment. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Academia is a demanding profession, as evidenced by a body of research that documents the debilitating impact of occupational stress and burnout on the personal and professional welfare of academics. In particular, high levels of these pathological phenomena, left unchecked, undermine the quality, productivity and creativity of the academics' work in addition to their health, well-being and morale. Despite these indicators of "weaknesses" and "malfunctioning", academics know that there is times that they operate in a "milieu" of work - there is an intense focus and pleasurable emotions, accompanied by high levels of enthusiasm. Especially, with the upcoming positive paradigm in Occupational Health Psychology, "positive" trends such as work engagement, optimism, organisational commitment and life satisfaction are also commonplace among academics. The first step in the enhancement of work wellness is the successful diagnosis of stress, burnout and work engagement. However, to measure these constructs, it is important to use reliable and valid instruments, and at the same time, take into account the cultural diversity in a multicultural setting such as South Africa. Clearly then, an assessment of this type should be concerned with the issue of construct equivalency. Furthermore, little information exists regarding the causes and effects of occupational stress, burnout and work engagement of academics in South Africa. The general aim of this study was to standardise an adapted version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) for academics in South African higher education institutions, to determine their levels of occupational stress, organisational commitment and ill-health, and to test a structural model of work wellness for South African academics. A cross-sectional survey design was used, with stratified random samples (N = 595) taken of academics in six South African universities. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Job Characteristics Inventory, the Health and Organisational Commitment subscales of the ASSET, The Life Orientation Test and Satisfaction with Life Scale were administered. Cronbach alpha coefficients, exploratory factor analysis, Pearson correlations, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-tests and multiple regression analysis were used to analyse the data. Structural equation modelling was used to test a structural model of work wellness. Exploratory factor analysis with target rotations resulted in a three-factor model of burnout, consisting of Exhaustion, Mental Distance and Professional Efficacy. The scales showed acceptable internal consistencies and construct equivalence for two language groups. Practically significant differences were found in the burnout levels of academics with regard to their age, marital status and working hours. Exploratory factor analysis with target rotations resulted in a two-factor model of work engagement, consisting of Vigour/Dedication and Absorption. The scales showed acceptable construct equivalence for two language groups (Afrikaans and English). One scale, namely Vigour/Dedication showed acceptable internal consistency. Practically significant differences were found between the work engagement of academics with different job levels and qualifications. Compared to the normative data, academics reported significantly high levels of stress relating to pay and benefits, overload and work-life balance. Academics also reported high levels of psychological ill-health, but experienced high levels of commitment both from and towards their organisation. Organisational commitment did not moderate the effects of occupational stress on ill-health. Analysis of variance revealed differences between the levels of occupational stress and ill-health of demographic groups. Regarding a model of work wellness, the results showed that job demands contributed to burnout, while job resources contributed to work wellness (low burnout and high work engagement). Burnout mediated the relationship between job demands and ill-health; work wellness mediated the relationship between job resources and organisational commitment. Dispositional optimism moderated the effects of a lack of job resources on work engagement. Work wellness and health contributed to life satisfaction. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

The mining industry is driven by performance and intense working environments, accompanied by high demands, hazardous working conditions and socially undesirable working hours. These factors could impact on the interaction between work and home, as well as contributing to health problems of employees. The objectives of this research were to test the construct validity, construct equivalence and reliability of a work-home interaction measuring instrument, the Survey Work-Home Interaction - Nijmegen (SWING), to determine if work-home interaction differences exist between different demographical groups, and to test a structural model of job characteristics (job demands and job resources), ill health and negative work-home interference. Random samples (n = 320) were taken from employees working in the mining industry (gold, platinum and phosphate mines) in the Gauteng, North West and Northern provinces. The SWING, a self-developed job characteristics questionnaire and an adapted version of the General Health Questionnaire were administered. Structural equation modelling, descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha coefficients, Pearson product-moment correlations, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyse the data. Structural equation modelling confirmed the four-factor structure of the SWING and the construct equivalence for two language and ethnic groups. The four factors showed acceptable internal consistencies. Statistically significant differences were found based on age, ethnicity, gender, qualification, marital and parental status, language, flexibility at work and whether individuals had a partner with a paid job. Regarding the structural model, the results showed that job demands and job resources have an impact on ill health, and that ill health is associated with negative WHI. It was also found that job demands and job resources have a direct relationship with negative WHI on their own, but when both high demands and a lack of resources are present, only an indirect relationship with negative WHI exists though ill health. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on October 15, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Antalet sjukskrivna medarbetare inom våra svenska organisationer ökar årligen till följd av stressrelaterade sjukdomar. Den rådande problematiken orsakar höga kostnader för bådemedarbetaren, organisationen och samhället i stort. Att vända den oroväckande trenden är således av stor vikt för alla inblandade parter. Många tidigare studier har visat att de sjukskrivningar som beror på psykiska åkommor har orsakats av en bristande arbetsmiljö. Det är arbetsgivaren som ställs ytterst ansvarig för arbetsmiljön inom en organisation, och hur arbetet för en hållbar arbetsmiljö ska utföras regleras av lagar och föreskrifter. Arbetsgivarenkan med hjälp av ohälsoförebyggande och hälsofrämjande insatser förbättra arbetsmiljön och på så vis sänka sjukskrivningstalen. I den här studien har vi undersökt hur en organisation och dess chefer genom den interna kommunikationen kan verka för en god arbetsmiljö. För att studera hur en organisation arbetar med dessa frågor har vi genomfört semistrukturerade intervjuer med både medarbetare och chefer på ett kommunalt fastighetsbolag i Göteborg. Som teoretiskt stöd har modeller och teorier om kommunikation, formell och informell information samt beslutsprocessen använts, för att skapa en bredare förståelse för det inomorganisatoriska arbetsmiljöarbetet. I studiens resultat framkommer det att respondenterna inom den studerade organisationen betraktar den interna kommunikationen som central i arbetet för en förbättrad arbetsmiljö. Det är av stor vikt att den interna dialogen är väl fungerande både vertikalt och horisontellt, för att den information som förmedlas mellan olika parter ska nå alla relevanta delar i organisationen. En god kommunikation är således av stor betydelse för att all information skatas tillvara och ligga till grund för beslut kring arbetsmiljörelaterade frågor. Inom det studerade bolaget ligger främst formell information, så som arbetsmiljöronder, medarbetarsamtal och–enkäter, till grund för de beslut som fattas. Informell information som kommer cheferna tillhanda genom mer spontana samtal, och som anses vara av rik karaktär, har inom organisationen en tendens att gå förlorad i ett tidigt skede i beslutsprocessen. I studien diskuteras chefens roll i att kunna samla in och behandla information både av formell och informell karaktär, för att det material som ligger till grund för beslut ska vara så rikt som möjligt. De beslut som har sin grund i all information som inkommit från medarbetarna har goda förutsättningar för att påverka organisationens arbetsmiljö i en positiv riktning. / The number of employees that are absent due to sick leave in Swedish organizations increases annually as a result of stress-related illnesses. The current problem gives rise to high costs for the employee, the organization and society at large. To reverse this worrying trend is therefore of great importance to all parties involved. Previous studies have shown that an unsustainable work environment causes mental illness which in turn leads to sick leave. It is the employer who is ultimately responsible for the work environment within an organization, and how the work for a sustainable work environment is to be performed is governed by laws and regulations. The employer can improve the work environment through ill health prevention and health promotion efforts, which decrease sick leave rates. In this study we have investigated how an organization and its managers through internal communication can work for a sustainable work environment. To study how an organization works on these issues, we have conducted semi-structured interviews with both employees and managers at a municipal property company in Gothenburg. As theoretical support models and theories of communication, formal and informal information as well as the decision making process have been used to create a broader understanding of how the organization is working to develop a sustainable work environment. The findings show that the respondents in the studied organization consider internal communication as central to improving the work environment. It is of the utmost importance that the internal dialogue is well-functioning both vertically and horizontally, so that the information communicated between different parties will reach all relevant parts of the organization. A well-functioning communication is therefore of great importance for managing the decision-making process. Within the studied company formal information, such as work environment inspections, employee appraisals and employee surveys, is the primary source that decisions are based on. Informal information that managers receive through spontaneous conversations, that are considered to be of a rich character, has a tendency to disappear at an early stage in the decision-making process. The study discusses the managers’ role in collecting and processing both formal and informal information, in order to make well-founded decisions. Decisions based on all the information received from employees have a higher likelihood of influencing the organization's work environment in a positive direction. This paper is written in Swedish.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The historical of the mental health has been marked by the discrimination, exclusion and removal of the persons with mental upset of the society. In this sense, one has like objective, to analyses the understanding of active nurses in mental health about the compulsory admissions and involuntary proposals for the Law of the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform. It is the question of an exploratory-descriptive inquiry with qualitative approach carried out in unities of psychiatric admission in general hospitals and services substitutive in the area of mental health of the Only System of Health in the local authority of Saint Maria. The data collection took place of March to May of 2014, through interview semi-structured with open question, developed in individual and carved form, in a room reserved in the above-mentioned services with eight active nurses in mental health. For so much, the next question happened: which his understanding of compulsory and involuntary admission? The data were subjected to the Analysis of Content and 7.0 (Qualitative Research and Solutions) organized with help of the Software Atlas You, it was inspired in the theoretical referential system of Paulo Amarante. They were respected all the aspects ethical of the inquiries with human beings ruled in the Resolution N. 466 of 2012 of the National Council of Health. Of the analysis of the finds from the reading of the content of the interviews, two categories surfaced: compulsory and involuntary admissions: understanding of the active nurses in mental health; and, compulsory and involuntary admission in the professional daily life of the active nurse in mental health. The results showed up that the nurses understand the compulsory and involuntary admissions as something that must be seen besides the disease, since social, economic, familiar factors when they are in imbalance can bring in an admission. They understand that the Law of the Psychiatric Reform brought changes in the presence in mental health, however it is still not totally in accordance with the ideals of the Law, since the changes are situated more specifically in the services without reaching the community, being the fragmentation of the Net of Attention Psychosocial one of the challenges so that the ideal is reached. Another challenge pointed by the nurses there are the readmissions for the precarious adherence of the users to the services substitutive. Besides, the nurses try to establish a communication with the judicial thing in an attempt of reducing the compulsory admissions. The nurses can differentiate the different types of admission, being that the compulsory and involuntary admissions from the understanding of the nurses do not appear effective, but in crisis situations there are still the most used resource. Between the feelings that these two types of admission wake in the nurses they are the satisfaction feeling when they manage to avoid the admissions and it of frustration when they do not manage. It is ended that so that there is a desinstitucionalização, besides the constitution of a Net of Attention continuous and resolute Psychosocial it is necessary to surpass the readmissions that produce the so-called phenomenon revolving-door. / O histórico da saúde mental tem sido marcado pela discriminação, exclusão e afastamento das pessoas com transtorno mental da sociedade. Neste sentido, tem-se como objetivo, analisar a compreensão de enfermeiros atuantes em saúde mental acerca das internações compulsórias e involuntárias propostas pela Lei da Reforma Psiquiátrica brasileira. Trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratório-descritiva com abordagem qualitativa, realizada em unidades de internação psiquiátrica em hospitais gerais e serviços substitutivos na área de saúde mental do Sistema Único de Saúde no município de Santa Maria. A coleta de dados ocorreu de março a maio de 2014, por meio de entrevista semi-estruturada com pergunta aberta, desenvolvida de forma individual e gravada, em uma sala reservada nos referidos serviços com oito enfermeiros atuantes em saúde mental. Para tanto, realizou-se a seguinte questão: qual seu entendimento de internação compulsória e involuntária? Os dados foram submetidos à Análise de Conteúdo e organizados com auxílio do Software Atlas Ti 7.0 (Qualitative Research and Solutions), inspirou-se no referencial teórico de Paulo Amarante.. Foram respeitados todos os aspectos éticos das pesquisas com seres humanos pautados na Resolução Nº 466 de 2012 do Conselho Nacional de Saúde. Da análise dos achados a partir da leitura do conteúdo das entrevistas, emergiram duas categorias: internações compulsórias e involuntárias: compreensão dos enfermeiros atuantes em saúde mental; e, internação compulsória e involuntária no cotidiano profissional do enfermeiro atuante em saúde mental. Os resultados evidenciaram que os enfermeiros compreendem as internações compulsórias e involuntárias como algo que deve ser visto além da doença, pois fatores sociais, econômicos, familiares quando se encontram em desequilíbrio podem acarretar em uma internação. Compreendem que a Lei da Reforma Psiquiátrica trouxe mudanças na assistência em saúde mental, porém ainda não está totalmente de acordo com os ideais da Lei, pois as mudanças se situam mais especificamente nos serviços não chegando à comunidade, sendo a fragmentação da Rede de Atenção Psicossocial um dos desafios para que se alcance o ideal. Outro desafio apontado pelos enfermeiros são as reinternações pela precária aderência dos usuários aos serviços substitutivos. Além disso, os enfermeiros procuram estabelecer uma comunicação com o judiciário em uma tentativa de reduzir as internações compulsórias. Os enfermeiros sabem diferenciar os diferentes tipos de internação, sendo que as internações compulsórias e involuntárias a partir da compreensão dos enfermeiros não se mostram efetivas, mas em situações de crise ainda são o recurso mais utilizado. Entre os sentimentos que esses dois tipos de internação despertam nos enfermeiros estão o sentimento de satisfação quando conseguem evitar as internações e o de frustação quando não conseguem. Conclui-se que para que haja uma desinstitucionalização, além da constituição de uma Rede de Atenção Psicossocial contínua e resolutiva é necessário sobrepujar as reinternações que geram o fenômeno denominado revolving-door ou porta-giratória.

From a view of health strategies and techniques this thesis wants to throw a light on how the individual in its"health thinking"is governed. A thinking that, according to the author, can lead to a new way of governing as in municipal activity, an activity whose focus is on health and ill-health. The study is done whit a theoretical approach of power, with qualitative interviews as method and analysed from a perspective of Governmentality. The object for the study is Socsam and Rehabrådgivarna in Finspång. Socsam is a local project, and their main task is to create cooperation between health- and medical services, social services and social insurance. The health advisor in Finspång directs its activity towards sick-listed people and their main task is to help the sick-listed back to work as soon as possible. The analysis is done from both the perspective of what the individuals’ state about Rehabrådgivarnas treatment in relation to their own health and life of quality and how Socsam and Rehabrådgivarna can be analysed as health technologies and health strategies from Governmentality as theory. The author argues for the opinion, that from a specific way of thinking about health and how the individual have to act to achieve this health, this way of thinking creates a health technique. This health technique leads to a social demand on the individuals, a demand that the individuals have to achieve to be accepted in the community. They, whom not have the capacity or the will to achieve this health demand, will be regarded as maladjusted. Because of that, the individuals as well as the community need a self regulatory health strategy to persuade them self as well as others to become a healthy citizen. From this point of view the author argues for that Socsam can be regarded as a health strategy like this and that Rehabrådgivarna is the practical tool that is used to implement the health strategy and health technology to the people.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka individers upplevelser av välmående och rutiner i vardagslivet efter att ha deltagit i en hälsofrämjande intervention som ett hjälpmedel för att komma ut i arbetslivet eller börja studera. En kvalitativ metod användes i denna empiriska studie. Semi-strukturerade intervjuer användes för att samla in data. Urvalet i studien var fyra män och två kvinnor i åldern 18–54 år. Intervjuerna spelades in med ljudupptagning och all data transkriberades ordagrant och analyserades med en tematisk analys. Resultatet handlade om vilka erfarenheter informanterna fick av att ha deltagit i en hälsofrämjande intervention som ett hjälpmedel för återgång till arbete, praktik eller studier. Samtliga informanter upplevde ett ökat välmående efter att ha deltagit i den hälsofrämjande interventionen. Flera av dem har fått förbättrade hälsobeteenden och olika verktyg för rutiner, problemhantering samt förbättrade vanor i det vardagliga livet. Informanterna har fått en förändrad syn på framtiden, en känsla av ökade framtidsmöjligheter och mer delaktighet i sin livssituation. Resultatet visade samtidigt att det fanns brister i den hälsofrämjande interventionen utifrån informanternas perspektiv. Slutsatsen för studien var att informanternas upplevelser av den hälsofrämjande interventionen var positiv när det gäller ett förbättrat välmående och skapande av nya goda rutiner samt ny kunskapsinhämtning. Det fanns erfarenheter av brister kring interventionen och det framtida livet när interventionen var avslutad och deltagarna skulle försöka upprätthålla de nya vanorna och rutiner de skapat. Trots det så har intervention minskat informanternas ohälsa vilket är betydande för både samhället och folkhälsan. Det gör att den hälsofrämjande interventionen och liknande interventioner är värd att satsa på för att minska på den ohälsa som finns i samhället. / The purpose of this study was to examine how individual’s experiences of well-being and routines in their daily life after participating in a health promotion intervention as a resource for return to work or studies. A qualitative method was used in this empirical study. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data. The samples in this study was four men and two women aged 18-54 years. The interviews were documented with sound-recording and all data was transcribed verbatim and analyzed by a thematic analysis. The main result was about the experiences the individuals received from having participated in a health promotion intervention as a resource of returning to work or study. All individuals experienced increased well-being after participating in the health promotion intervention. Several of them have improved health issues, used various tools for routines and how they deal with problems and improved habits in their everyday life. The individuals have had a changed vision of the future, a sense of increased future opportunities and more involvement in their life situation. The results also showed that there were shortcomings in the health promotion intervention based on the perspective of the individuals. The conclusion that can be drawn is that the health promotion intervention was perceived as positive in terms of improved well-being, creating new effective routines and better knowledge acquisition. There were experiences of shortcomings within the intervention. Once the intervention was completed and the individuals were to maintain new habits and routines, there seemed to be some setbacks. Despite this, the intervention has reduced the ill-health of the individuals, which is significant for both society and public health. This means that the health promotion interventions and similar interventions are worth investing in to reduce the ill-health that is present in society.

De ungas psykiska ohälsa är ett allt ökande problem, vilket är något som måste stoppas. Syftet med studien var att undersöka yrkesverksammas upplevelser och erfarenheter av förebyggande insatser mot psykisk ohälsa för unga. Vi genomförde en kvalitativ studie där vi intervjuade sex yrkesverksamma personer som arbetar med unga i olika sammanhang. Den insamlade datan har analyserats med en tematisk analys. Resultatet av studien visar att yrkesverksamma arbetar väldigt mycket i sitt dagliga arbete med förebyggande insatser. Det framkommer även att det saknas forskning kring ämnet, särskilt evidensbaserad. Studien visar att den psykiska ohälsan enligt yrkesverksamma delvis uppfattas som en konsekvens av det förändrade samhället. Vår uppfattning är att det behövs mer forskning gällande ämnet och mer arbetsmetoder som yrkesverksamma kan använda sig av. / The mental ill-health of young people is a growing problem, which is something that must be stopped. The aim of this study was to show the perceptions and experiences of professionals about treatment against mental ill-health for young people. We conducted a qualitative study in which we interviewed six professionals who work with young people in different contexts in the community. The collected data has been analyzed with a thematic analysis. The results of this study showed that professionals work very much in their daily work with preventative efforts. There is short of research on the subject, especially evidencebased. The study's results showed that mental ill-health is a problem that is partly a consequence of the changing society we live in today. Our opinion is that more research is needed on the subject and more working methods that professionals can use.

Syftet har varit att undersöka och skapa en fördjupad förståelse för hur kuratorer inom psykiatrin upplever sitt arbete med att stödja barn som anhöriga till förälder med psykisk sjukdom/ohälsa. Utifrån ett kombinerat urval bestående av målinriktat urval och bekvämlighetsurval rekryterades fem respondenter från två orter i Sverige. Kvalitativ metod har använts bestående av semistrukturerade intervjuer, vilka analyserats med tematisk analys. Resultaten visar att kuratorer arbetar på olika sätt med att ge stöd till barn som anhörig till förälder med psykisk ohälsa/sjukdom. Hinder som identifierats handlar om dels om förhållningssätt i form av fokus på de vuxna klienterna och rädsla för att bryta en allians till klienten om för mycket fokus läggs på ett barnperspektiv. Ett annat hinder är enligt kuratorerna resursbrist. Möjligheter som lyfts utgörs av förebyggande arbete. Slutsatserna från denna studie visar att kuratorers arbete med att stödja barn är komplext och att det kan behövas utvecklingsarbete för att komma till rätta med hinder och öka möjligheter att stödja barn som är anhörig till förälder med psykisk ohälsa/sjukdom. / The purpose of this study has been to investigate and provide an in-depth understanding of how counselors in psychiatry experience their work in supporting children as relatives of parents with mental illness/ill health. Based on a combined sample consisting of goal-oriented selection and convenience selection, five respondents were recruited from two locations in Sweden. A qualitative method has been used consisting of semi-structured interviews, and a thematic analysis has been carried out. The results show that counselors work in several different ways to provide support to children to a parent with mental ill-health/mental illness. Obstacles regarding providing support to children is a predominant focus on adults, fear of breaking an alliance with the adult client, and lack of resources. The results also show that the councelors’ view of opportunities is about preventive work. The conclusion from this study is that providing support to children is complex, and that development of work practices may be needed to come to terms with obstacles and create increased opportunities to support children to parents with mental ill health/mental illness.