Living in the fallout: parents' experiences when their child becomes mentally ill.

Parental loss of a child to mental illness and the resulting grief is a relatively unacknowledged phenomenon. This study aimed to capture the process through which parents journey in the face of their child's mental illness. Conducting a series of focus groups, the authors sought to further the understanding and the needs of these families. They identify seven themes from initial awareness to the formation of a new stability. Identification of this grief process is an important step that can heighten practitioners' awareness so that future interventions and support systems can be developed to help these families deal with their pain and burden. Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.