TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2012//
TI  - Living With a Mentally Ill Parent: Exploring Adolescents' Experiences and Perspectives
JO  - Qualitative health research
A1  - Trondsen, Marianne V.
SP  - 174
EP  - 188
VL  - 22
IS  - 2
N2  - Although a considerable body of research has described the implications of parental mental illness, the perspectives of children and adolescents have rarely been addressed. In this article, I explore adolescents' experiences in everyday life, based on an action-oriented study of a Norwegian online self-help group for adolescents (aged 15 to 18) with mentally ill parents. The analysis was conducted through participant observation of the group for 2 years.The adolescents experienced a variety of difficult challenges related to their parent's mental illness: lack of information and openness; unpredictability and instability; fear; loneliness; and loss and sorrow. However, they also discussed strategies for active management of the challenges arising from the family situation. I argue that these adolescents can be understood as vulnerable as well as active participants in managing their everyday lives. I emphasize the importance of including perspectives of children and adolescents in further research so as to improve health care for families with parental mental illness.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1049-7323
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1049732311420736
ID  - ref1
ER  -