정신분열병 환자 자녀의 경험

Abstract

[한글]

정신분열병은 정신기능에 이상을 초래하는 질환으로서 정신분열병 환자의 자녀들은 정신분열병에 의해 직·간접적으로 생기는 환경적 긴장으로 인해 영향을 받고 있다. 본 연구에서는 정신분열병 환자 자녀의 경험이 어떠한지 알아보기 위해 사례 중심으로 심층면접과 아동화 및 설문조사를 통하여 정신분열병 환자 자녀의 경험을 알아보고자 하였다.본 연구의 자료수집기간은 2005년 9월부터 2005년 11월까지였으며 연구대상자는 정신분열병 환자의 사춘기 자녀(만10-15세)로 총 3명이었다. 자료 수집은 심층면접과 아동화, 설문지를 통해 이루어졌으며 면담내용은 수집과 동시에 이루어졌고 아동화는 한국 미술학회 편(1994)의 해석기준에 따라 분석하였으며 설문지는 총 점수를 산정하였다.본 연구 결과는 다음과 같다.1. 정신분열병을 앓고 있는 아버지에 대하여 양가감정과 혼란된 아버지상을 보였다.2. 어머니의 역할에 대한 기대와 안쓰러움이 나타났다.3. 아버지의 부재로 인한 결속력 없는 가족관계로 단절감과 고립감 및 소외감을 경험하였다.4. 가족역할 변화로 인한 역할 부담감이 나타났다.5. 아버지에 대한 그리움과 아버지의 역할회복과 가족관계에 대한 회복을 기대하는 것으로 나타났다.6. 아버지의 정신질환에 대해 언급하기를 회피하는 등 정신질환에 대한 부정적인 인식을 하고 있었다.7. 아버지의 일관성 없는 행동으로 자녀들은 산만하고 공격적이며 자신의 감정을 지나치게 억제하고 타인과의 관계형성의 어려움을 보이는 등 불안정한 정서와 행동을 보였다.8. 낮은 자아 존중감과 부정적인 자아개념을 보였다.본 연구는 3명의 정신분열병 환자의 사춘기 자녀를 대상으로 정신분열병 환자 자녀들이 경험하는 내용을 알게 되었으며, 특히 사춘기의 발달기적 특성 및 사례별로 자녀들의 경험을 알아봄으로써 전반적인 문제 등을 확인한 연구로서, 정신 분열병 환자 자녀의 부정적인 경험과 관련된 중재 프로그램 개발을 위한 기초 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

[영문]The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the experience of children with a schizophrenic parent. Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness with a profound negative influence on social functioning of not only patients themselves but also their children. The children whose parents are schizophrenic suffer from environmental stress caused directly and indirectly by their schizophrenic parent(s).If we want to invent intervention programs or strategies for children with a schizophrenic parent, it is essential to understand the social and psychological vulnerability of children whose parent has schizophrenia to environment, and to have a knowledge of subjective experience which children have. The children who have a schizophrenic parent face a variety of problems and are reported to need help and support, but those needs are generally overlooked. Thus far only a little, if only, attention has been paid to them, and accordingly few published data exist about them compared to other family members such as parents, spouses, and siblings.With this in mind, we tried to make a close inquiry into the experience of children with a schizophrenic parent. The research methods included biographical in-depth interviews, structured questionnaires, and child''s drawings. Data were collected from September until November, 2005 at one university hospital, and interviews were recorded on audio tapes and thereby transcribed. The subjects were three adolescent children (10-15 years old) of a parent with schizophrenia.The results are as follows:1. It is often the case that the children with a schizophrenic parent are uninformed about their parent''s illness, have difficulties dealing with symptoms (positive and negative), and accordingly are confused about their parent''s image (specially father''s image in this research), have an uncertain image of their father, and display contradictory feelings of fear and sympathy toward their father.2. The children tend to harbor expectations on mother''s role in the family affairs, and simultaneously show pity for her.3. Family relations without solidarity caused by the absence of their father make the children feel severance, separation, and isolation in and out of the family.4. The children feel the burden to assume additional household responsibilities, and, interestingly enough, are concerned about their parents'' future welfare.5. The children miss their father in custody, expect him to be rehabilitated in no time, and finally look forward to the recovery of their shattered family relation.6. The children are reluctant to mention their father''s disease, which shows that they have a negative recognition or understanding of mental illness.7. Due to their father''s inconsistent behaviors, the children are apt to be distracted, aggressive, and difficult to control their feelings. They are also seen to have difficulty in establishing relationship with others, resulting in unstable emotions and behaviors.8. The children show relatively low self-esteem and negative self-concept.In conclusion, the study subjects have met negativeness in both developmental characteristics and needs, which supports the need for intervention programs that meet their actual experience. It is hoped that this study will contribute to providing basic knowledge about children with a schizophrenic parent for the development of intervention programs, and for reducing the prevalence of mental illness.