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Abstract
Studies on parental depression predominantly use quantitative designs and are based in Western cultural contexts. Research on the lived experiences of Chinese parents with major depressive disorder (MDD) in Hong Kong society is scant. In this study, we aim to address this research gap using a qualitative design, exploring Chinese parents’ subjective experiences. From December 2022 to April 2023, 12 parents, purposively sampled from a community-based setting, participated in semi-structured, rigorous interviews exploring how they responded to MDD. Using thematic analysis, an overarching theme of “revitalizing parenthood” was identified, under which five subthemes, namely “rejecting fatalism of parental depression,” “regulating proximity with children,” “retaining parenthood,” “redefining suffering,” and “untapped resources in the dyad,” were generated. The findings provide suggestions for social workers to engage with parents with MDD, who are perceived as active players in the journey of recovery and revitalizing parenthood. Mental health professionals and researchers should consider departing from a deficit-based landscape to a resilience-oriented perspective to identify the potential of the parents, which may contribute to the well-being of the whole family.
Published Version
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