title: Burden, reward, and coping of adult offspring of patients with depression and bipolar disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In previous years, research has focused on the situation of psychiatric patients' minor children. The aims of this qualitative study were to describe the experience of adult children of depressed and bipolar patients, including positive and negative factors as well as coping mechanisms, and to investigate possible predictors of burden in order to identify children in need of professional support.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 30 adult children were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. In addition, all children completed the Freiburg Questionnaire of Coping with Disease (Freiburger Fragebogen zur Krankheitsverarbeitung, FKV). Regression analysis indicated the most relevant predictors of burden.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All (100%) of the children reported emotional burden due to the illness of their parent, 90% suffered from impaired family life, and 77% experienced burden due to the parent's symptoms. Reward (positive experience) was reported regarding the intensification of the parent-child relationship. Linear regression analysis shows predictors for highly burdened children as well as for children who are more prone to maladaptive ways of coping. Higher burden was significantly associated with the child's age, severity of illness of the parent, and specific diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although some positive aspects of parental affective disorder exist, this study underlines that children primarily suffer from their parent's disorder and that this burden does not stop in adulthood. Providing professional support to adult as well as to minor children of affected individuals should become standard of care in clinical settings.
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany ; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
authors: Rita
authors: R
authors: Bauer
authors: State Hospital for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Prof.-Buchner-Strasse 22, 84034 Landshut, Germany.
authors: Hermann
authors: H
authors: Spiessl
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy II, BKH Günzburg, Ulm University, Ludwig-Heilmeyer-Str. 2, 89312 Günzburg, Germany.
authors: Marina J
authors: MJ
authors: Helmbrecht
keywords: Bipolar disorder; Burden; Caregiver; Depression; Reward of caregiving
references: Psychiatr Prax. 2005 Sep;32(6):272-80
references: 16094552
references: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2011 Dec;46(12):1251-6
references: 20931326
references: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2012 Feb;47(2):331-7
references: 21165597
references: Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr. 2003 Mar;71(3):118-28
references: 12624848
references: Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2005 Aug;255(4):223-31
references: 15549342
references: Gerontologist. 1992 Aug;32(4):486-92
references: 1427251
references: Prax Kinderpsychol Kinderpsychiatr. 2008;57(10):757-73
references: 19143234
references: Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2012 Nov;46(11):1068-78
references: 22734088
references: Int J Bipolar Disord. 2014 Dec;2(1):29
references: 26092400
references: J Affect Disord. 2004 Dec;83(2-3):221-5
references: 15555717
references: Neuropsychiatr. 2007;21(4):267-74
references: 18082108
references: J Affect Disord. 2006 Aug;94(1-3):157-63
references: 16737741
references: J Nerv Ment Dis. 2001 Jan;189(1):31-7
references: 11206662
references: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2014 Oct;53(10):1111-22.e5
references: 25245355
references: Bipolar Disord. 2002 Feb;4(1):50-60
references: 12047495
references: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012 Jan;51(1):8-17.e8
references: 22176935
references: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2011 May;46(5):363-72
references: 20309676
references: Psychiatr Serv. 2013 Feb 1;64(2):185-8
references: 23203418
references: Pediatrics. 2003 Aug;112(2):e119-31
references: 12897317
references: J Gerontol. 1991 Jul;46(4):P181-9
references: 2071844
references: Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1992 Sep;86(3):247-52
references: 1414422
references: J Nerv Ment Dis. 2012 Nov;200(11):928-34
references: 23124175
references: Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2005 Jun;39(6):507-13
references: 15943654
references: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2010 Feb;45(2):275-83
references: 19452109
references: Psychiatr Serv. 2004 Sep;55(9):1029-35
references: 15345763
references: Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1997 Apr;67(2):254-60
references: 9142359
references: J Nerv Ment Dis. 2002 Feb;190(2):108-14
references: 11889365
references: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2005 Apr;40(4):329-36
references: 15834785
references: Am J Psychiatry. 1993 May;150(5):720-7
references: 8480816
references: Health Soc Work. 2002 May;27(2):145-54
references: 12079169