title: Associations and costs of parental symptoms of psychiatric distress in a multi-diagnosis group of children with special needs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Families supporting children with complex needs are significantly more distressed and economically disadvantaged than families of children without disability and delay. What is not known is the associations and costs of parental psychiatric distress within a multi-diagnosis group of special needs children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional survey, families were identified from the Children's Treatment Network. Families were eligible if the child was aged 0-19 years, resided in Simcoe/York, and if there were multiple family needs (n = 429).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Some 42% of surveyed parents exhibited symptoms (mild to severe) of psychiatric distress. The presence of these symptoms was associated with reports of poorer social support, family dysfunction, greater adverse impact of the child's situation on the family, poorer child behaviour, unfavourable parenting styles and poorer child psychosocial functioning. The severity of the child's physical dysfunction was not related to parents/guardians most knowledgeable symptoms of psychiatric distress. Total parent costs were higher and children's uses of primary care services were higher in parents with symptoms of psychiatric distress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parent symptoms of psychiatric distress are a significant societal concern in families with complex needs children. Children's rehabilitation efforts need to incorporate parental mental health assessment and treatment into existing programmes. This could lead to decreases in direct and indirect healthcare utilisation costs.
authors.affiliation: Children's Treatment Network of Simcoe York, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thurston
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loney
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Browne
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult