Most parents take 'watch and wait' approach
TORONTO, Oct. 3, 2011 /CNW/ - More than half of Canadian parents (57 per
cent) are concerned about the mental health of their children and most
will simply monitor behaviours that can actually be early indicators of
problems, rather than seek advice or treatment, according to a new
RBC-Today's Parent survey of more than 2,500 Canadian parents on
children's mental health.
The survey also showed a lack of awareness about children's mental
health overall. More than two-thirds of parents (68 per cent) thought
that attention deficit disorder is the most common children's mental
health issue. In fact, anxiety is the most common mental health problem
facing children and youth in Canada, followed by conduct disorders and
attention deficit disorders.
"Most mental health problems start in childhood or adolescence, and the
good news is that many children improve with early intervention and
treatment, allowing them to get back to their regular activities and
lead healthy lives," said Dr. David Wolfe, psychologist and RBC chair
in Children's Mental Health at the Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health. "It's absolutely crucial for parents, doctors and teachers to
have a basic level of mental health IQ so they can recognize the
warning signs if a child is struggling at an early age."
"It's possible that many parents don't know what warning signs to look
for, which means their children could be suffering in silence without
much-needed treatment," added Jamie Anderson, deputy chair of RBC
Capital Markets and executive champion of the RBC Children's Mental
Health Project. "Through the RBC Children's Mental Health Project, we
want to help more parents become familiar with the early signs of
mental health issues so we can collectively break down the barriers to
early intervention and facilitate more effective and timely diagnosis
and treatment."
A change in a child's behaviour can be an early warning sign of a mental
health problem. Depending on the behaviour, approximately 17 to 27 per
cent of parents would seek professional help immediately for their
child, and a similar proportion would try to manage these situations on
their own.
Parents identified the following as their top warning signs for which
they would seek professional help:
-
Repeated risky behaviour (59 per cent)
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Bed-wetting beyond age six (43 per cent)
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Lack of energy (27 per cent)
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Regular anxiety about school (24 per cent)
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Aggressive behaviour (22 per cent)
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Repetitive behaviour (17 per cent)
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Frequent displays of temper (17 per cent)
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Inattentiveness (10 per cent)
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Excessive shyness (six per cent)
When asked with whom they would discuss their child's mental health
situation, 85 per cent of parents would opt for their family doctor and
53 per cent would talk to a family member. In addition, more than
three-quarters of respondents (77 per cent) would turn to the internet
for information, but did not necessarily trust what they read (only 11
per cent ranked the internet as the most trusted source). Alternately,
parents considered doctors (78 per cent) and health-related
organizations (61 per cent) to be among their top two most-trusted
sources of information.
Compounding the problem for those parents that do act on their
suspicions of children's mental illness is the lengthy wait time for a
formal diagnosis and treatment. Of parents surveyed with a child who
was diagnosed with a mental illness, it took an average of two years
from the first warning signs until their child was officially
diagnosed. For 22 per cent of parents, it took more than three years.
Stigma still a barrier
One significant barrier to early intervention, diagnosis and treatment
is stigma. While many parents believe that mental illness in children
can be treated, there is widespread concern about stigmatization due to
mental illness. Respondents believed that other parents (80 per cent)
and children (86 per cent) stigmatize children with mental health
conditions.
Nearly seven-in-ten (69 per cent) prefer to obtain information on
children's mental health anonymously so their child would not be
"labeled" or "stigmatized", even though 79 per cent of parents feel
that mental illness is a disease like any other. When asked how they
would respond if their child was diagnosed with a mental illness:
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26 per cent would not want anyone outside of their immediate family to
know
-
25 per cent said that they would feel embarrassed if people found out,
with 31 per cent of those parents insisting that it is a personal and
private matter
-
21 per cent worried others would consider them a bad parent.
While many parents in the study expressed progressive views on mental
health, they did not trust other people to think the same way. "Parents
want to protect their child from the judgments and prejudices of
others," said Anderson. "Sometimes overcoming stigma can be as big a
challenge as getting a diagnosis. This fear may prevent parents from
seeking help and could delay or hinder necessary treatment for their
child."
Other key highlights from survey include:
-
Among parents with children who had been diagnosed with a mental
illness, their most common reaction was relief (40 per cent). Other
reactions included: fear (16 per cent); denial (seven per cent);
frustration (six per cent); and guilt (six per cent).
-
Mothers were more likely than fathers to look to friends (35 per cent
versus 26 per cent) and teachers (42 per cent versus 35 per cent),
while fathers are more likely than mothers to turn to professionals
such as psychiatrists (26 per cent versus 14 per cent) or faith
representatives (seven per cent versus two per cent) when looking to
discuss their child's situation.
-
Younger parents (age 18 to 34) are more likely than parents aged 35 and
older to reach out to other parents (41 per cent versus 33 per cent)
and family members (66 per cent versus 50 per cent) regarding their
child's mental health condition.
-
Older parents (age 55+) are more likely than their younger counterparts
to turn to a professional, like a social worker (22 per cent versus 13
per cent) regarding their child's mental health condition.
These findings are part of an online survey of 2,556 parents conducted
by the Rogers Connect Marketing Research Group and commissioned by the
RBC Children's Mental Health Project and Today's Parent Magazine from
July 11 to August 11, 2011. The results reflect the opinions of
Canadian parents with children aged 18 and younger. The margin of error
for the full data set —which measures sampling variability— is ±1.9 per
cent, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to
rounding.
About the RBC Children's Mental Health Project
The RBC Children's Mental Health Project is a multi-year philanthropic
commitment to support community-based and hospital programs that reduce
stigma, provide early intervention and increase public awareness about
children's mental health issues. Since 2009, the RBC Children's Mental
Health Project has donated more than $6.5 million to more than 125
organizations across Canada. Grant applications are accepted year-round
from eligible organizations. For more information, visit www.rbc.com/childrensmentalhealth.
