title: Living with a mentally ill parent: exploring adolescents' experiences and perspectives.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Centre for Integrated Care and Telemedicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway. marianne.trondsen@telemed.no
authors.forename: Marianne V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Trondsen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008132:Loneliness; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D009664:Norway; D010290:Parents; D012657:Self-Help Groups