Making sense of growing up with a parent with psychosis: an interpretative phenomenological analysis study

There is little research into the subjective experience of adults whose childhoods were spent living with a parent with psychosis. This study explored these experiences; the sense people made as a child and as an adult, and the ways their experiences shape their adult lives. Participants were encouraged to consider all aspects of their experiences, positive and negative. Five adult participants who grew up with a parent with psychosis were interviewed using a semi-structured interview approach. Four major themes were identified: Feeling uncared for; I’m different; What if people find out? and Finding my identity. Participants felt that, while some childhood experiences had been difficult, these contributed to their strengths and capabilities, such as independence and a capacity for caring for others.The findings highlight the importance of services supporting families to make sense of psychosis and supporting parents to help their children make sense of what is happening in the family. It also reinforced the importance of reducing the stigma surrounding psychosis through increasing knowledge and understanding in the general population.