Factors associated with the coping of parents with a child in psychiatric inpatient care

The purpose of this study was to establish the parental coping' factors associated with having a child in psychiatric inpatient care. The data were collected from 19 hospitals with child psychiatry units. At the time of data collection, all parents of children in psychiatric inpatient care in these hospitals were recruited. The method of data collection was a questionnaire (n = 79). The data were analysed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows statistical software. The connections between variables were studied with cross‐tabulation, and the χ2 test was used to determine significance. Changes in internal and external family relationships and matters related to the upbringing of the child with mental problems statistically correlated significantly with parental coping (P < 0.001). Problem‐oriented and emotionally‐oriented coping strategies, skills and palliative strategies correlated significantly with parental coping (P < 0.001). Emotional support, support for the care and upbringing of the child in inpatient care, and love and acceptance also had statistically significant associations with parental coping (P < 0.001).