Qualitative study of the experience of parents whose adolescent has been hospitalized for a suicidal episode: reshaping, mobilizing, and adapting

Abstract

Abstract Background A suicidal crisis is a set of symptoms that can occur frequently during adolescence. It can require hospitalization, a form of care that often also facilitates work with the adolescent’s parents, whose inclusion has proven beneficial. The objective of this work is to analyze parents’ experience of their adolescent’s suicidal crisis and hospitalization. Methods This is a qualitative study with data collected from semi-structured interviews of 13 parents of teens who had been hospitalized in an adolescent psychiatry ward for a suicidal crisis. The data were analyzed with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results Parents described how the adolescent’s suicidal crisis drastically disrupted their relationships both with the youth and within the family, as well as strongly affecting their own well-being. Hospitalization was often perceived as a relief by protecting the adolescent. Separation from the teen and the care offered, including family sessions, led simultaneously to reorganization and support of the family. The construction of a new family and personal equilibrium continued after hospitalization with the search for strategies to prevent acute recurrence. Conclusions Parents faced with their adolescent’s suicidal crisis are immediately affected and mobilized. The youth’s hospital admission supports the family’s mobilization while inducing its reshaping but does not appear entirely sufficient. It is crucial to provide interventions that enhance parents’ skills in supporting their suicidal teen and to promote parental empowerment and family recovery. Specifically, approaches combining psychoeducation, family-based work and peer support with other parents hold promise in addressing parental needs in this context.

Keywords

• Suicide
• Adolescents
• Hospitalization
• Parents
• Qualitative research