Evenson, Erik; (2004) An investigation into the experiences of fathers with psychosis. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

This study involves a qualitative investigation into the experiences of 10 White/Caucasian fathers who have a diagnosis of psychosis (schizophrenia, schizoaffective or other psychotic-type disorder). Fathers with psychosis have often been ignored by the research community. This project was designed to explore some of the potential issues concerning this group, such as: What is it like to be a father with psychosis How do they evaluate themselves in terms of fulfilling their idea of the parenting role Do they have fears of passing on the illness to their children Do they have fears of losing custody of their children The collected data was analysed by means of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and evaluated with regard to previous research. This study found that psychosis may directly and indirectly undermine the father-child relationship and the work of parenting. The fear of one's children inheriting psychotic illness is a widespread concern amongst this group. In the process of fulfilling the role of fatherhood, men with psychosis benefit from a sense of pride in the father role, a sense of purpose to one's life, a feeling of pleasure in the creation and development of life, and motivation to change for the better. The results are used to identify possible innovations and improvements in the services received by fathers with psychosis and their families. The results were also used to suggest further avenues of research with this group.

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