title: Recovery in a family context: experiences of mothers with serious mental illnesses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adults with mental illness are as likely as those without mental illness to be parents. Yet parenting and family life have received considerably less attention than employment, housing, and community integration in psychiatric rehabilitation and mental health services research. This ethnographic pilot study aimed to understand the lived experiences of urban low-income African American mothers diagnosed with serious mental illnesses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ethnographic observations and informal interviews were conducted over 12 months with three mothers diagnosed with serious mental illnesses and their children. Data were analyzed using a case study approach to distill prominent themes, perspectives, and experiences within and across participating families.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five themes emerged to characterize the lived experiences of African American mothers with serious mental illnesses: (a) mental illness and mental health services are not a prominent focus in everyday life; (b) families live in a context of ubiquitous violence, loss, and everyday stress; (c) family life is the main focus for mothers as they strive for a better life; (d) mothers have limited social support; and (e) religion is a source of meaning and a resource for the everyday work of recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings from this exploratory pilot study suggest that rehabilitative efforts tailored for this population should not focus on, or reside in, professional mental health services. Meaningful rehabilitative strategies for families might include supported employment, social support, youth mentoring, faith-based supports, and community-based antiviolence efforts. Peer-based approaches may be a promising way to provide supports within this population.
authors.affiliation: Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Carpenter-Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Howard University.
authors.forename: Billy D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Holcombe
authors.affiliation: Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Torrey
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Howard University.
authors.forename: Maria Mananita S
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hipolito
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Clinic, Howard University Hospital.
authors.forename: Loretta D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology*