The fathers' lived experience of having had their adolescent child engaging in non-suicidal self-injury

Abstract

The study explores the fathers’ lived experience of their adolescent child’s non-suicidal self injury (NSSI), paying particular attention to how this impacted them personally as well as relationally with their child and their partner. Six homogenous participants were recruited through purposeful sampling through a number of institutions which acted as gatekeepers. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The epistemological stance underpinning the study was social constructionism, adopting existential and phenomenological approaches. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was adopted as the methodology of choice. Six Group Existential Themes (GETs) were elicited through the data analysis: impact of self-harm on their fatherhood; impact of the self-harm on the relationship with their partner and on their relationship with the adolescent; the mutual impact of the family system and the self-harm; the fathers’ perception and experiences with professionals; and self-harm as a personal journey of growth for the fathers. Findings were interpreted and discussed through the lens of attachment theory, systems theory and trauma theory. The results of this study point to a strong relational foundation for NSSI, where the teenager's self-harming behaviour is fostered by the systemic dynamics where the relationship between the adolescent and father is intricately linked. The findings also showed how this experience can be humbling and enriching for fathers, also contributing to stronger family bonds. The need for timely interventions, including family therapy sessions, also came to light. Based on the findings and personal reflections, implications for practice as well as recommendations to researchers conducting comparable studies were made.