Kinder von Eltern mit psychischen Erkrankungen: Messbarkeit und Identifikation von Interaktionsunterschieden auf Grundlage eines Modells der Transgenerationalen Transmission psychischer Erkrankungen

According to estimates, about 38.5 % of children and adolescents live together with a parent that develops a mental illness during their upbringing. This poses a substantial risk factor for the development of an own mental illness of the children. The existing body of research on the transgenerational transmission of mental illness entitles the parent-child-interaction as a core mechanism of transmission. Parent-child-interactions and corresponding measure models are being assessed disorder-specific within the existing body of research. It is still unknown whether parent-child-interaction can be measured as a disorder overarching mechanism and if possible group differences can be identified in contrast to parents without any mental illness. The present dissertation aims to close this research gap. The dyadic factor as well as parental sensitivity were significantly lower in the group of parents with a mental illness with no regard of parental specific diagnosis and in comparison to parents without any mental illness. EE Crit was more prevalent in parents with a mental illness, but results on parental Crit are limited to parents with anxiety disorders and depression. Decreased dyadic reciprocity, which is incorporated within the dyadic factor as well as sensitivity and increased Crit have been associated with negative developmental outcomes, the development of child problem behavior and poorer treatment response.