Understanding experiences of parents of children with anxiety/low mood
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the experiences of parents whose children have anxiety and/or low mood: using qualitative methods to identify the processes underlying distress
IRAS ID
362804
Contact name
Olivia Harris
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bath
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 30 days
Research summary
We know that having a child who is experiencing anxiety or low mood has a significant impact on parents’ wellbeing. Parents can find themselves facing their child self-harming, suicidal behaviour, school refusal and aggression. This can result in parents experiencing high levels of shame, stigma, anxiety and stress. Yet the most effective way to support these parents with their wellbeing is still unclear.
We need to understand what makes it harder for parents of young people with anxiety/low mood to cope and what makes their distress worse. We know from wider research that certain responses to stress can create patterns that maintain that stress over time. We don’t understand which responses (or ‘psychological processes’) make parents more vulnerable to ongoing distress. For example, parents who are self-critical may experience more distress. This gap in knowledge has limited the development of support options that effectively improve parents’ wellbeing. I aim to address this gap by exploring different ways parents respond in the moment when distressed, and the impact of this on their wellbeing.
To do this we will complete 1:1 interviews with parents about their experiences of their child having low mood/anxiety. We will be looking at what happens for parents in the moment when they are feeling distressed about their child’s mental health. This will include how they feel, what they do, and what they are thinking. This will help us better know what patterns maintain distress for parents. This in turn will help us design more tailored support to stop these patterns. We will recruit parents of children who are currently 18 or younger who have ongoing symptoms of anxiety/low mood. We will recruit via NHS services such as Child and Adolescent mental health services, as well as non-NHS sites like workplaces and charities.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
26/WS/0009
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jan 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion