The forgotten voices of psychosis: Exploring the lived experience of children of parents with psychosis: A scoping review

Schizophrenia affects approximately 24 million people worldwide and can lead to a severe, relapsing and remitting illness. In the UK it is estimated that one third of individuals affected are parents. However, research on the impact of this illness for their families is limited. To date, work has mainly focused on the experiences of parents, partners or caregivers, rather than their children. When children have been the subject of research or clinical discussion, this has largely focused on their safety or risk of developing psychopathology. We know for example that these children are 15-40% more likely to develop mental illness, come from a lower SE group, have higher rates of adverse experiences including neglect, emotional and physical abuse. The quality of their lived experience and the nature of their psycho-social difficulties has been given less attention. Supporting these individuals is a public health concern given the myriad downstream effects on their social, psychological and physical health. Yet resources and services for this group are scant. This project will explore the impact living with a parent with psychosis can have on a child. It will review what type of research has been conducted on their lived experience and what gaps exist in the literature.