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Parent experiences during and after adolescent suicide crisis: A qualitative study
Guy M Weissinger1, Lili Evans1, Catherine Van Fossen2
1Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA.
International Journal of Mental Health Nursing
|March 8, 2023
Summary
Parents caring for adolescents in suicide crises experience trauma, fear, and isolation. Recovery is a family process, highlighting the need for parental and family-focused support.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Family Studies
- Adolescent Health
Background:
- Parents are crucial in managing adolescent suicide crises.
- Parental experiences during and after adolescent suicide crises are understudied.
- Adolescent suicide attempts and ideation significantly impact the family system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore parents' lived experiences of adolescent suicide crises.
- To understand the impact of these crises on parents and the family unit.
- To identify parental needs for support during and after adolescent suicide crises.
Main Methods:
- Semi-structured interviews with 18 parents of adolescents who experienced a suicide crisis.
- Thematic analysis using a combined inductive-deductive coding approach.
- Drawing on Diamond's conceptualization of family treatment engagement for suicidal youth.
Main Results:
- Parents described the experience as traumatic, leading to feelings of failure and damaged self-worth.
- Key themes included living in fear, loneliness, seeking connection, lasting impact, and establishing a new normal.
- Parental recovery and family system adaptation occurred alongside, yet distinct from, adolescent recovery.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent suicide crises profoundly affect parents, necessitating dedicated support.
- Parents require support for their own well-being and as caregivers.
- Family-focused services are vital for supporting adolescents and their families through suicide crises.
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