Children of parents with mental illness (COPMI) are often referred to in the
literature as invisible given the lack of services dedicated to this large population at
increased risk for a multitude of psychosocial difficulties. Of the services available, few
have been empirically validated. This study undertook a qualitative evaluation of Kids in
Control, a psycho-education and support program intended to enhance the resilience of
children of mentally ill parents. The goals of this study were to: determine whether the
program was beneficial to the participants, identify the critical program elements deemed
helpful/unhelpful by the participants, determine whether program objectives were being
met, and to provide insight on how to improve the program to better meet the needs of
this population. It is ultimately hoped that this research will give children of parents with
mental illness a voice, thereby boosting their visibility and contributing to their
psychosocial well being.
Flanagan’s (1954) critical incident technique (CIT) was employed to determine
the participants’ perceptions of helpful and unhelpful aspects of the program. Twelve
participants (10 boys, 2 girls) ranging in age from 8-12 were recruited from 4 groups held
in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted,
followed by telephone interviews to discuss and verify the information shared.
Participants reported a total of 121 critical incidents, which were classified into 8 helpful
categories (105 incidents) and 2 unhelpful categories (16 incidents). The eight helpful
categories were: identifying, communicating and managing feelings; learning about
mental illness; helpful messages about responsibility, control, and empowerment;
effective facilitator group management skills; having fun; connecting with other children
experiencing parental mental illness; learning about stigma; and identifying supports. The
unhelpful categories were: ineffective facilitation skills, and disruptive behaviour
exhibited by other group members. Participants recommended improvements related to
the areas of group instruction, time management, and group management. In addition, a
10-point rating scale was administered to determine the participants’ overall perception
of program helpfulness. A mean rating of 7.63 was obtained which corresponds to very
helpful on the scale. A comparison of incident categories with program objectives
indicated a high degree of consistency, with a few exceptions. Implications for program
improvements, wider program dissemination, and counselling practice are discussed. In
addition, methodological issues related to using the critical incident technique with
children are outlined.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/4077 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Hamill, Karen |
| Publisher | University of British Columbia |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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