title: Parents' perceptions on offspring risk and prevention of anxiety and depression: a qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Offspring of patients with anxiety or depression are at high risk for developing anxiety or depression. Despite the positive findings regarding effectiveness of prevention programs, recruitment for prevention activities and trials is notoriously difficult. Our randomized controlled prevention trial was terminated due to lack of patient inclusion. Research on mentally-ill parents' perceptions of offspring's risk and need for preventive intervention may shed light on this issue, and may enhance family participation in prevention activities and trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 24 parents (patients with anxiety or depression, or their partners). An inductive content analysis of the data was performed. Five research questions were investigated regarding parents' perceptions of anxiety, depression, and offspring risk; anxiety, depression, and parenting; the need for offspring intervention and prevention; and barriers to and experiences with participation in preventive research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parental perceptions of the impact of parental anxiety and depression on offspring greatly differed. Parents articulated concerns about children's symptomatology, however, most parents did not perceive a direct link between parent symptoms and offspring quality of life. They experienced an influence of parental symptoms on family quality of life, but chose not to discuss that with their children in order to protect them. Parents were not well aware of the possibilities regarding professional help for offspring and preferred parent-focused rather than offspring-focused interventions such as parent psycho-education. Important barriers to participation in preventive research included parental overburden, shame and stigma, and perceived lack of necessity for intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the importance of educating parents in adult health care. Providing psycho-education regarding offspring risk, communication in the family, and parenting in order to increase parental knowledge and parent-child communication, and decrease guilt and shame are important first steps in motivating parents to participate in preventive treatment.
authors: Department of Clinical Psychology and Experimental Psychopathology, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, Groningen, 9712 TS The Netherlands.
authors: Helma
authors: H
authors: Festen
authors: Department of Medical Humanities, VU University Medical Center, Postbus 7057, Amsterdam, 1081 BT The Netherlands.
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Schipper
authors: Mental Health Care Friesland (GGz Friesland), Borniastraat 34B, Leeuwarden, 8934 AD The Netherlands.
authors: Sybolt O
authors: SO
authors: de Vries
authors: Curium-LUMC, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors: Catrien G
authors: CG
authors: Reichart
authors: Department of Medical Humanities, VU University Medical Center, Postbus 7057, Amsterdam, 1081 BT The Netherlands ; EMGO + Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, Amsterdam, 1081 BT The Netherlands.
authors: Tineke A
authors: TA
authors: Abma
authors: Department of Clinical Psychology and Experimental Psychopathology, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, Groningen, 9712 TS The Netherlands ; Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9713 GZ The Netherlands.
authors: Maaike H
authors: MH
authors: Nauta
keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Offspring; Parent; Participation; Prevention; Qualitative Research