Paper
Friday, July 23, 2004
Who Will Help Me Care for My Child? A Phenomonological Study of Family Challenges in Accessing Mental Health Services for Children
Margaret P. Shepard, PhD, RN, Nursing, Nursing, Temple University College of Health Professions, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| Learning Objective #1: Describe experiences of urban mothers who struggled to access mental health services for their children
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| Learning Objective #2: Identify the three themes that characterized the mothers' experiences--helplessness, urban warrior, and loss |
Objective: This phenomenological inquiry was to determine community members’ perceptions of what was required to obtain mental health services for their children. This inquiry was undertaken, to ensure that planned services would meet the needs of the families in this community. This approach was selected for consistency with Departmental focus to engage in Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) (Minkner, et. al., 2003). CBPR begins with a research topic important to the community with the aim of combining knowledge and action for social change to improve community health and eliminate health disparities. Design: A descriptive phenomenological design was used. Reflexive journaling was used throughout the study. . Population, Sample, Setting, Years: Interviews were conducted in family homes, over a four-month period in 2003 with four African American Mothers. Concept, variables studied, or intervention and outcome variables: Mothers were encouraged to tell their stories beginning when they first recognized that their child was in need of mental health services until they felt they had accomplished their goals. Methods: The process of intuiting included 12 hours of interviewing with the mothers. The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Analysis was conducted on the transcriptions. Findings: Three descriptive themes emerged from the data. 1) Each of the mothers’ described helplessness because they saw their children suffering and they were unsuccessful obtaining services. 3) The mothers saw themselves as “urban warriors” because they felt they had to fight for services. 3) Loss was experienced in many dimensions of their lives. Conclusions: The results support the needs for mental health services in this community and they are also consistent with National findings (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000, 2003). Families struggle to access effective mental health services for their children. Implications: Additional services that are local, accessible, culturally sensitive and affordable are needed.
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