ABSTRACT

Background Despite the vital role parents play in caring for children with auditory hallucinations, very little research has garnered their experiences, opinions and recommendations for improving service design and delivery.

Methods 132 participants (Mage = 39.11; SD = 8.50) from 14 countries completed an online qualitative survey, providing rich reflective narratives about their individual and systemic experiences of caring for a child with auditory hallucinations. Narratives were analyzed through a Foucauldian-informed narrative analysis, which recognized the influence of internalized stigma and societal narratives that surround hallucinations across Western cultures.

Results Four emancipatory narratives provide novel insights into the experience of caring for a young voice-hearer. Participants discussed their first thoughts and reactions, which were often influenced by negative societal narratives surrounding voice-hearing and fears for the future, as well as how a lack of tailored systemic support could adversely affect family functioning.

Conclusions Parents require greater access to, and inclusion in, intervention pathways within mental health services. Mothers may require additional resource due to a lack of systemic support and risks to their wellbeing as they care for their child. Participants recommend changes for clinical care, including earlier early intervention pathways for young children, easily accessible online information, support groups, and parent training programs.

摘要

背景尽管父母在照顾有幻听的儿童方面发挥着至关重要的作用，但很少有研究收集他们的经验、意见和建议，以改进服务设计和提供。

方法来自 14 个国家的132 名参与者（M年龄 = 39.11；SD = 8.50）完成了一项在线定性调查，提供了关于他们照顾幻听儿童的个人和系统经历的丰富反思性叙述。通过福柯式的叙事分析对叙事进行了分析，该分析认识到了西方文化中围绕幻觉的内化污名和社会叙事的影响。

结果四个解放性叙事提供了对照顾年轻倾听者的体验的新颖见解。参与者讨论了他们的第一想法和反应，这些想法和反应通常受到围绕声音听力和对未来恐惧的负面社会叙事的影响，以及缺乏量身定制的系统支持如何对家庭功能产生不利影响。

结论父母需要更多地访问和参与心理健康服务中的干预途径。母亲可能需要额外的资源，因为他们在照顾孩子时缺乏系统支持和健康风险。参与者建议改变临床护理，包括早期针对幼儿的早期干预途径、易于访问的在线信息、支持小组和家长培训计划。