Experiences and needs of parents whose child has attempted suicide.

Abstract

To explore the stress, experience, and unmet needs of parents whose child has attempted suicide. A 23-question survey and a 53-item Family Management Measurement questionnaire were distributed to the parents of children admitted to an acute care facility for a suicide attempt (SA). Quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical Analysis System. Responses to the open-ended questions were sorted, synthesized, and clustered into tentative categories. Eleven parents enrolled, but only 10 completed the qualitative questions. Three themes emerged: feelings of helplessness, uncertainty, and life management difficulty. Parents rated their stress as moderate (6.6 out of 10). Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was questionable (0.69); however, three of six subscales were good to excellent (0.81-0.95). Families experience stress, feelings of hopelessness, and uncertainty after an SA. More research is needed to better understand and quantify parental experiences.