Reflecting on Parental Terminal Illness and Death During Adolescence: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
There has been little consideration of how adolescents experience parental terminal illness (PTI) and death and any continuing impact it may have on their lives. In particular, limited attention has been given to this group’s perceptions and experiences of support during this period. This study expl...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ijpr.psychopen.eu/article/view/306 |
| _version_ | 1797970315724193792 |
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| author | Jennifer Cafferky Samantha Banbury Catherine Athanasiadou-Lewis |
| author_facet | Jennifer Cafferky Samantha Banbury Catherine Athanasiadou-Lewis |
| author_sort | Jennifer Cafferky |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There has been little consideration of how adolescents experience parental terminal illness (PTI) and death and any continuing impact it may have on their lives. In particular, limited attention has been given to this group’s perceptions and experiences of support during this period. This study explores the retrospective experiences of six individuals who had a parent diagnosed with a terminal illness (TI) during late adolescence. Their experiences are qualitatively explored in terms of their understanding, processing and adjustment to their parent’s TI and death; both as an individual, and in the context of their wider family and social setting. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed to analyse participant data. Participants were individuals who had a parent diagnosed with a terminal illness aged 16-18. Four superordinate themes emerged from the data. These were: changing family dynamics, grappling with adolescence and adjustment to loss, barriers to feeling/being supported and living with the consequences. Participants relate the profound impact that PTI during adolescence has had and continues to have on their lives. Study findings provide clinically useful information for healthcare professionals working with bereaved young people and those presently experiencing PTI. Implications are discussed in terms of service provision and design, including therapeutic recommendations for counselling psychologists and other professionals working with this group. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:16:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5e8052588f8b49d2a88bde121e1093ce |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1981-6472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:16:00Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships |
| spelling | doaj.art-5e8052588f8b49d2a88bde121e1093ce2023-01-02T10:27:52ZengPsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for PsychologyInterpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships1981-64722018-12-0112218019610.5964/ijpr.v12i2.306ijpr.v12i2.306Reflecting on Parental Terminal Illness and Death During Adolescence: An Interpretative Phenomenological AnalysisJennifer Cafferky0Samantha Banbury1Catherine Athanasiadou-Lewis2School of Psychology, London Metropolitan University, London, UKSchool of Psychology, London Metropolitan University, London, UKSchool of Psychology, London Metropolitan University, London, UKThere has been little consideration of how adolescents experience parental terminal illness (PTI) and death and any continuing impact it may have on their lives. In particular, limited attention has been given to this group’s perceptions and experiences of support during this period. This study explores the retrospective experiences of six individuals who had a parent diagnosed with a terminal illness (TI) during late adolescence. Their experiences are qualitatively explored in terms of their understanding, processing and adjustment to their parent’s TI and death; both as an individual, and in the context of their wider family and social setting. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed to analyse participant data. Participants were individuals who had a parent diagnosed with a terminal illness aged 16-18. Four superordinate themes emerged from the data. These were: changing family dynamics, grappling with adolescence and adjustment to loss, barriers to feeling/being supported and living with the consequences. Participants relate the profound impact that PTI during adolescence has had and continues to have on their lives. Study findings provide clinically useful information for healthcare professionals working with bereaved young people and those presently experiencing PTI. Implications are discussed in terms of service provision and design, including therapeutic recommendations for counselling psychologists and other professionals working with this group.http://ijpr.psychopen.eu/article/view/306parental terminal illnessbereavementadolescencecounselling psychologyinterpretative phenomenological analysis |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer Cafferky Samantha Banbury Catherine Athanasiadou-Lewis Reflecting on Parental Terminal Illness and Death During Adolescence: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships parental terminal illness bereavement adolescence counselling psychology interpretative phenomenological analysis |
| title | Reflecting on Parental Terminal Illness and Death During Adolescence: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis |
| title_full | Reflecting on Parental Terminal Illness and Death During Adolescence: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Reflecting on Parental Terminal Illness and Death During Adolescence: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reflecting on Parental Terminal Illness and Death During Adolescence: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis |
| title_short | Reflecting on Parental Terminal Illness and Death During Adolescence: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis |
| title_sort | reflecting on parental terminal illness and death during adolescence an interpretative phenomenological analysis |
| topic | parental terminal illness bereavement adolescence counselling psychology interpretative phenomenological analysis |
| url | http://ijpr.psychopen.eu/article/view/306 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jennifercafferky reflectingonparentalterminalillnessanddeathduringadolescenceaninterpretativephenomenologicalanalysis AT samanthabanbury reflectingonparentalterminalillnessanddeathduringadolescenceaninterpretativephenomenologicalanalysis AT catherineathanasiadoulewis reflectingonparentalterminalillnessanddeathduringadolescenceaninterpretativephenomenologicalanalysis |