Parenting a young person with mental health problems: temporal disruption and reconstruction

Abstract

The article explores the experiences of parents living with a young person with mental health problems. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 25 parents (18 mothers and 7 fathers) whose child had a diagnosed psychiatric condition. It is argued that the parents engaged in a form of narrative reconstruction of their dual roles as parents and carers as they tried to make sense of the illness in their lives by reconstructing their past, present and future experiences. The concept 'responsibility' was threaded through the parents' narratives and is discussed in relation to three key dimensions - moral responsibility; causal responsibility; and responsibility for self. It is argued that the moral imperative to care for their child was the dominant theme in the parents' narratives but that this was challenged by their lack of knowledge of psychiatric conditions; their interactions with healthcare professionals; their relationships with their child; and their difficulties in coping with the extended parental responsibility that arose from their caring role.