Sense of Solidarity Among Parents of Sons or Daughters Who Have Attempted Suicide: An In-depth Interview Study

Abstract

A suicide attempt is a significant burden on the suicidal person, the family, and the community. The psychosocial strain on parents after their offspring’s suicide attempt is significant. The aim of this study was to gain insight into how a parent’s relationship with a partner was affected after their son or daughter’s suicide attempt or serious suicide threats. Individual in-depth interviews were made of 19 parents recruited through a Danish non-governmental organisation in 2013. Data were analysed using a generic thematic analysis. A key category “Sense of solidarity” and two sub-categories “Challenges to the relationship” and “Responding to different reactions and coping strategies” were constructed. Sense of solidarity was important for the parents’ co-parenting and how they engaged with the situation as a couple. The group of participants was heterogeneous and had learned to manage the stressful situation in different ways. Interventions to support parents of sons or daughters who have attempted suicide should include a stronger focus on parents’ co-parenting abilities in the family system in order to support the well-being of the whole family.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the participants of the interview and the Network for the Suicide Struck (NEFOS). We thank Dr. Kristof Mikes-Liu for giving valuable feedback during analysis and interpretation of data.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The Psychiatric Research Fund of the Mental Health Services in Region of Southern Denmark funded the study.