Chinese Parents’ Experiences of Parenting When They Have a Mental Illness

By employing a qualitative approach throughout, the current thesis aimed to investigate the parenting experiences and needs of Chinese parents with mental illnesses. Four interrelated studies were conducted, including a systematic review, two interview studies examining mothers’ and fathers’ experiences respectively, and a comparative study exploring gender commonalities and differences among Chinese parents with mental illnesses. Implications relating to clinical practice have been put forward to inform and guide those who support families where a parent has a mental illness in China, such as adopting a family-focused approach in mental health services and delivering gender-sensitive services.