Children's experience of major psychiatric disorder in their parent

When considering the impact of external stress on children, it is important to do so from the child’s perspective. Only in this way is it possible to understand how the influence is shaped by their sense of vulnerability, their developmental phase and their way of thinking. This particularly applies to stresses that might overtake the caretaking relationship (Fitzpatrick et al., 1995), including development of a major psychiatric disorder in the parent.