Open communication between mental health professionals and parents of patients with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

Abstract in English, Spanish

Objective: To estimate the factors associated with open communication between mental health professionals and parents of patients with intellectual disabilities and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Materials and methods: Cross-sectional survey in 759 mental health professionals. The association between the pattern of open communication and the attributes of communication was estimated through a logistic, ordinal, multivariate model.

Results: The prevalence of the pattern of open communication in mental health professionals was 30.6% (95%CI 27.4-34.0). The associated factors were younger age (RM=2.42, 95% CI 1.57-3.75), specialty (RM= 1.56, 95%CI 1.09-2.23), high value to the truth (RM= 4.95, 95% CI 3.21-7.65), low paternalism (RM= 10.93, 95%CI 7.22-16.52) and courses in bioethics (RM= 1.45, 95%CI 1.01-2.09), adjusted for confusing variables.

Conclusions: Mental health professionals reported low levels of open com-munication with parents of people with neurovelopmental disorders, so prioritizing the value to the truth, promoting less paternalism, and respecting the autonomy of patients, can contribute to changing these patterns of communication in clinical practice in Mexico.

Keywords: intellectual disability; mental health; neurodevelopmental disorders; paternalism; value to the truth; health communication. Show more