Mothers with a mental illness: Stressors and resources for parenting and living

Policy changes as well as improved treatment and rehabilitation practices m ean that more women with mental illness are carrying out parenting roles. H owever, mental-health services have only given limited attention to parenti ng problems and benefits for clients with psychiatric disabilities. previou s research has focused more on mothers' clinical characteristics, and less on the social and economic contexts in which parenting occurs. The present report involves a targe, primarily minority sample of women with serious me ntal illness who are mothers and who are being served in the public mental- health system of a large urban area. We sought to collect more comprehensiv e information to better understand their situations and improve service pro visions. The women in the study report experiencing severe financial strain s and health problems, even when compared with other low-income urban-based populations. Many also have experienced crises, loss of significant others , assaults, and other negative life events that are very stressful, along w ith a high number of chronic hassles. They do have resources available to t hem, through interpersonal supports, religion, and mental-health services. The discussion focuses on implications for micro- and macro-practice to imp rove these women's lives, their parenting, and the potential outcomes of th eir children.