Caring for a violent relative with severe mental illness: a qualitative study
Abstract
Background:
According to the literature reviewed, although families living with a mentally ill relative often face violence, this issue has been little studied in nursing.
Methods:
We conducted a qualitative research study to explore the experience of families dealing with this complex reality. We adopted Jacques Donzelot’s theory of the government of family as our theoretical framework and used grounded theory as our research methodology. In total, 14 participants who had been victims of violence perpetrated by relatives with severe mental illness were interviewed.
Findings:
Qualitative analysis led to the identification of five themes: (a) medico-legal apparatus; (b) experience of violence; (c) the family’s responsibility toward the violent relative; (d) exclusion and stigmatisation; and (e) suffering and resilience. The present paper focuses on the study’s central theme: the family’s responsibility toward the violent relative.
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Biographies
Etienne Paradis-Gagné is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Nursing, Université de Montréal. He is particularly interested in the issues of coercive care and the interface between mental health and justice.
Dave Holmes is Full Professor and University Research Chair in Forensic Nursing at the University of Ottawa, Canada. His research programme focuses on risk management in public health and forensic nursing.
Jean-Daniel Jacob is Associate Professor at the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa. His work draws on critical and sociopolitical approaches in the fields of psychiatric nursing.
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Article first published online: September 7, 2020
Issue published: December 2020
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