CONNECT2GROW-UP; Screening, monitoring and care network in families with a
parent with a psychiatric disorder

The main risk factor for developing psychiatric problems is the occurrence of
psychiatric issues within the family. In the Netherlands, 1 in 4 children grows
up with parents who have psychiatric problems (known as KOPP, which stands for
*Kinderen van Ouders met Psychiatrische Problemen*). Children of parents with
psychiatric issues have 2-3 times higher chances of developing psychiatric
problems themselves. Within adult mental health care (V-GGZ), 1 in 2 patients
has children. However, these children are rarely well-documented, and screening
and preventive measures for them are limited. Additionally, there is often a
lack of a life course perspective, where problems can fluctuate in severity,
necessitating monitoring. Gaps in knowledge about early recognition of
children*s problems, limited understanding of the care network structure
between V-GGZ, Youth Mental Health Care (J-GGZ), and youth support, and
healthcare providers* hesitancy due to parental stigma are identified as
inhibiting factors .

In this project, we will conduct research within a learning and development
framework to explore the barriers in adult mental health care (V-GGZ) and how
and when screening and monitoring for KOPP (Children of Parents with
Psychiatric Problems) can be implemented. We will investigate these research
questions collaboratively with families and healthcare providers working in
V-GGZ, Youth Mental Health Care (Jeugd GGZ), and youth support services. The
primary goal of this research is to gain insights into both facilitating and
inhibiting factors, as well as knowledge gaps related to screening and
monitoring for KOPP

Action-oriented qualitative descriptive research is divided into three projects:

Project 1: Focus groups with healthcare providers and policy officers from 8 to
10 institutions, discussing screening and monitoring.
Project 2: Interviews and feedback sessions with 10 parents/families currently
undergoing treatment in adult mental health care (V-GGZ) at institutions such
as Erasmus MC, PsyQ, Antes or other sGGZ organizations in the Rotterdam area.
The focus will be on screening, monitoring, and digital personal health
environments.
Project 3: Interviews and feedback sessions with 10 families who previously
participated in the *Connect2Grow* learning and improvement project. This
project was a collaboration between the departments of Gynecology & Obstetrics
and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology. In addition to screening,
monitoring, and digital personal health environments, this project will also
consider the life course

Participation in the research requires a time commitment. In Project 1, we will
collaborate with chain partners to explore desirable care related to prevention
or intervention. During a one-time 4-hour focus group, we will determine how
parties can best collaborate. After 12 months, another session (maximum 4
hours) will be organized to present preliminary results and reanalyze
experiences up to that point.

For Projects 2 and 3, the involvement includes two interview sessions lasting
30-45 minutes each, along with a 60-minute feedback session. If desired,
participants can engage in up to 4 additional conversations based on screening
questionnaires over a 9-month period. These conversations will be conducted by
a research psychologist, who also works in youth mental health care (Jeugd
GGZ). If necessary, feedback will be provided to the participant*s own
therapist, with consent requested.

The qualitative interviews will consist of open-ended questions, with
participants* experiences guiding the discussions. Regarding the time
commitment, we aim to strike a balance between the family*s capacity and the
demands placed on them. Conversations can take place at home or online as
needed. The research will be conducted alongside existing treatment