title: Effect of psychosocial environment in children having mother with schizophrenia.
abstract: The process of child׳s mental development depends heavily on the social interrelationship between the mother and her child. Schizophrenia in mothers potentially disrupts mother-infant relationship and adaptation to motherhood. Literature is limited on evaluating the emotional and behavioral problems of children of mother having schizophrenia with nearly none from the Indian subcontinent. The aim of the current study was to examine the effect of psychosocial environment in children of females with schizophrenia. Thirty children of mothers suffering with schizophrenia were evaluated with Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for children and adolescents. The psychosocial environment was assessed using Parent Interview Schedule. Control group of 30 children were evaluated in the same way as the cases. The children of female patients with schizophrenia were found to score significantly higher on internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems on CBCL as compared to control group, along with significant differences in the psychosocial environment between the groups. We conclude that there is a need for screening and evaluation of children of mothers diagnosed with schizophrenia, for identifying and managing possible mental and behavioral problems in them, and to assess the psychosocial environment and provide interventions for issues related to it.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, G. B. Pant Hospital, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Mahima
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malhotra
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India. Electronic address: rohit.aiims@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rohit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia; D012931:Social Environment
keywords: Behavior; Children; Family; Parent; Psychosocial; Schizophrenia