title: Mental health and parenting in rural areas: an exploration of parental experiences and current needs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research on parental mental health problems (MHPs) has predominantly used urban samples and focused on the risks for children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to explore rural parents' lived experiences of parenting with a MHP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six semi-structured interviews were conducted with mothers who were using a mental health service in rural Ireland. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was employed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Themes identified were: "Being Observed and Negatively Judged by Others"; "Overshadowed by the Duality of Parenting and MHPs"; "Dominance of Medication Over Other Treatment Options"; "Uncertainty (of Impact on Parenting Ability and Children)" and "Need for Inclusion". Although parents' experienced a variety of concerns generic to parenting and mental health, living in a small, rural community was related to pronounced concerns regarding the stigma, devaluation and uncertainty associated with MHPs and service use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further investigation into and consideration for the specific needs and experiences of parent service-users could benefit both parents and their families and inform service development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Education and Psychology, The University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK and.
authors.forename: Gwendolyn Erin
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Cremers
authors.forename: Nicola Ann
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Cogan
authors.forename: Iseult
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Twamley
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D008605:Mental Health Services; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D012423:Rural Health; D012424:Rural Population