Adult daughters’ experiences of growing up with a mother who suffered from a severe mental illness
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Date
2020
Authors
Plant, Tracy
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Abstract
Research suggests that the mother-infant dyad is arguably the most important relationship to
facilitate early childhood development (Bion, 1962a; Bowlby, 1960; Klein, 1946; Winnicott,
1960a, 1960b). The mother-infant dyad may be negatively affected if the mother suffers with
severe mental illness which may affect maternal functioning in a number of ways (Hipwell,
Goossens, Melhuish, & Kumar, 2000; Manning & Gregoire, 2006; Oyserman, Mowbray, &
Meares, & Firminger, 2000; Panos et al., 2006). The literature acknowledges the negative
effects of severe maternal psychopathology on children, even perinatally. The effects of
maternal mental illness on offspring have been studied from the period of infancy through
childhood and adolescence, and seem to be lifelong (Brockington et al., 2011; Engur, 2017;
Fraser & Pakenham, 2009; Hipwell et al., 2000, Manning & Gregoire, 2006; Oyserman et al.,
2000; Trondsen, 2012). While there is a lot of research that attests to the impact of maternal
psychopathology on infants, children and adolescents, there is less research about the lingering
effects of maternal psychopathology on adult daughters of severely mentally ill mothers.
Therefore, the aim of this research was to further explore adult daughters’ experiences of
growing up with a mother who suffered from severe mental illness.
A sample of six adult daughters who grew up with severely mentally ill mothers were
interviewed for the current research project, using a semi-structured interview schedule. The
interviews yielded the following themes. The participants reflected on how they attempted to
put the ‘puzzle pieces’ of their mother’s mental illness together. Another theme that related to
the mother daughter relationship emerged. The participants also reflected on how their
experiences with their mother influenced the way that they navigated the different dimensions
of their identity as women. The theme that related to other caregiving figures in the
participants’ families, such as their fathers and other women in their families, was reflected on
by the participants. A common experience reported on by the participants was that they all tried
to cope with their difficult experiences and overwhelming emotions by means of attempting to
control different facets of their lives. Another theme was that the participants felt as if they had
to keep their experiences with their severely mentally ill mothers behind closed doors. Lastly,
ideas for interventions and wishes for others in similar situations was also expressed by the
participants.
The findings suggest that the participants’ experiences were cumulative. This means that as the
participants increased in age, their difficult experiences with their mentally ill mothers
accumulated. Their experiences were also shaped by different developmental tasks that they
were navigating at certain ages, Participants reported being profoundly affected by their
mother’s difficulties. As they got older they became acutely aware of the stigma mental illness
which further influenced their experiences. While the participants reflected on significantly
challenging and turbulent experiences, they also reflected on how they had gained insight and
empathy into other people’s emotional difficulties. The participants considered these aspects
to be positive personal characteristics that they gained through their experiences of growing up with a mentally ill mother
Description
A thesis submitted to the faculty of Arts of The University of The Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology, 2020