Will children of parents with a mental disorder develop the similar illnesses as their parents? 
Various studies on children of parents with a mental illness. suggest parental mental illness can affect their children in numerous ways and susceptible to develop mental illness in their later life (DHA 2004, p. 5; Reupert, Maybery & Kowalenko 2012, p. 7; Biederman, Faraone & Monuteaux 2002, p. 817; Hosman, van Doesum & van Santvoort 2009, p. 250). Hosman, van Doesum & van Santvoort (2009, p. 250) believe the potential disruption in their learning and development, education and well-being into adolescence.   
  • This is based on scientific evidence of increased risk of developing similar mental disorder and/or a broad-spectrum effect (Hosman, van Doesum & van Santvoort 2009, p. 252; Murdock and Hall 2002, p. 208).
  • Their finding suggests children of parents with a mental illness are significantly prone to developing mental disorders and other negative consequences with range of 41% to 77% possibility (Hosman, van Doesum & van Santvoort 2009, p. 250).​
​Nevertheless, these risks are imposed from their parents’ behaviour, not their diagnosis (Reder & Duncan 1999, p. 178). 
It is significantly bigger when the mental illness is accompanied by other negative events and circumstances. ​
  • Parents’ mental illness alone is not a predictor of childhood mental illness.
  • Parents active involvement in building their children protective resources or factors, improves children to grow up healthy and show resilience in the face of adversity.
Figure 2.
Risk factors and protective factors (Public Health England 2016, p. 5)

Learning and Development

Social and Emotional
​Children of parents with a mental illness are more vulnerable to emotional and behavioural problems during childhood and adolescence. 
For example, parents’ coping styles in regulating their emotions or mood using alcohol or food compulsively in and extended period of time, have higher likeliness to be imitated by their children. 
This behaviour is prone to be transmitted mental illness across generation (Hosman, van Doesum & van Santvoort 2009, p.250).
Figure 3.
​Trans-generational psychopathology progressive flow (Hosman, van Doesum & van Santvoort 2009, p.253). 
Cognitive and Socio-emotional
Stigma and discrimination may lead children of parents with a mental illness and their families to isolation and prevent them from  seeking help (McLennan 1997, p. 5; Leahy 2015, p. 100; Riebschleger et al. 2017, p.13; Tanner 2000; p. 289). These restrict their ability in making good decision and developing social skills  which manifest in form of lack of confidence, poor self-identity and insecure attachment.
Physical and holistic domain
​Tanner (2000, p. 289) suggests holistic implications children of parents with a mental illness may suffer which include:
  • undernourishment,
  • educational underachievement,
  • poor quality relationships,
  • low self-esteem,
  • emotional issues, and
  • behavioural problem. 
She argues these are resulted from:
  • persistent rejection from parents,
  • inconsistent or inappropriate expectations of child(ren),
  • emotional unavailability,
  • unresponsiveness and neglect,
  • parents’ inability to recognise children’s need and maintain parent-child relationship,
  • ongoing use of child to meet parent’s needs, and
  • communications that are distorted, misleading and confusing (Crossing Bridges, 1998).

Education

​Some studies argue that level of success of children of parents with a mental illness in education and attendance, might be related to their high assumption in taking role as young carers for their parents (parentification) (Dearden and Becker, 1995; Reupert And Maybery 2017, p. 196). 

​Hence, it limits their educative participation at school, reduces levels of achievement in communication, academic proficiency and societal functioning (Reupert, Maybery, Kowalenko 2012, p. 7)
​Nevertheless, it does not necessarily mean they will automatically have definite difficulties in school or adult life (Mayberry et al. 2009, p. 25).  
Rutter’s recommendations involve protective factors that significantly influence the success of their ongoing development and learning process into adulthood (Riebschleger 2017, pp. 2, 7; Rutter, 1993; Zimmerman 2013, p. 381; PHE, p. 8). 
Werner (1997, p. 103) supports similar claim that the living circumstances of children of parents with a mental illness encouraged them to obtain skills in being resourceful, communicative and practical in solving problems at school.
Figure 4.
Building Resilience (Public Health England 2016, p. 8)
Therefore, a parent’s mental illness impact ​on their children varies on numerous aspects. For example, the length of period and spectrum of the disorder(s), their age and level of resilience, and the effect of supportive mentally healthy adults (Leahy 2015, p. 100; Rethink, 2011; Werner 1997, p. 103).
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