Abstract
It is unclear precisely how parents experience having an adolescent with a mental disorder admitted to the psychiatric unit of a public hospital, and the support given to them. Therefore, the researcher decided to conduct this study to explore the parents’ experiences and facilitate their mental health. The researcher, who has worked in a child and adolescent unit psychiatric unit, observed what some of the parents had gone through. She was confronted with exactly why the study was needed: to gain a better understanding of parents’ experiences and identify the lack of information to ensure the parents’ mental health is prioritised. The researcher aimed to explore and describe the experiences of parents who have an adolescent with a mental disorder admitted to the psychiatric unit of a public hospital in Gauteng. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study design was used. Data was collected through telephonic, individual, in-depth phenomenological interviews that focused on the central question, “What is it like to have an adolescent with a mental disorder?”. A total of 10 parents who have an adolescent with a mental disorder in the psychiatric unit of a public hospital in Gauteng were interviewed. Tesch’s method for data analysis was used, along with an independent coder. Measures to ensure trustworthiness and ethical principles were applied throughout the research. Interviews were conducted with parents who have an adolescent with a mental disorder admitted to the psychiatric unit of a public hospital in Gauteng. Three themes were identified. Theme 1: The parents experienced that their lives were stuck amid grief for the loss of what their adolescents used to be, and anxiety about what the future holds. Filled with sorrow, they faced various barriers when desperately reaching out for help. Their emotions were extremely overwhelming, and they were deeply worried about the adolescent’s future. They shared stories about what has happened to their once brilliant adolescents, the loss of dreams and the loss of hope for the future...
M.Cur. (Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing)