| Previous researchers indicate that parental support plays a significant role in the course and outcome of adolescent depression. Less is known about what parents find helpful during the caregiving process. In this study, I use the Enhanced Critical Incident Technique (ECIT; Butterfield, Borgen, Maglio, & Amundsen, 2005) to explore what helps and hinders parents meet the challenges, changes, and disruptions that come with caring for a depressed adolescent living at home. I interviewed 4 participants who have had a depressed adolescent living at home to find out what helped and hindered, and whether there was any help that parents would have liked but did not receive. The interviews produced 202 critical incidents, which I placed into 6 helping categories, 5 hindering categories, and 2 wishlist categories. The 6 helping categories were (1) support, (2) working with my personal process, (3) self-care, (4) financial means, (5) advocating for my child, and (6) education about mental illness. The 5 hindering categories were (1) lack of support, (2) working with my personal process, (3) my child's functioning and mental health, (4) social/cultural stigma, and (5) financial means. The 2 wishlist categories were (1) support and (2) working with my personal process. Results are consistent with previous findings that caregiving is an adaptive process and support is valued by parents. I discuss implications for parents and professionals as well as recommendations for future research. |
