Need of Help and Social Support of Parents with a Mental Disorder

Studies could already show that parents with a mental disorder have a high need for social support but the use of offered help is scarce. The main goal of this study was therefore to assess the need of help as well as the extent of social support of parents with mental illness. N = 100 psychiatric inpatients (49 % female) with underaged children were assessed for need of help, use of help and social support. 99 % of patients reported to have received help. 53 % of patients reported to have further need for social support. 36 % of patients reported a below-average extent of social support. There were sociodemographic differences in the extent of social support. Even though, parents with mental illness make use of offered help, they do not experience social support in the extent that they need it. This underlines the high need as well as the importance of social support for parents with mental illness.