The Effect of Paternal Addiction on Adolescent Suicide Attempts: A Qualitative Study

Research shows that parents have an immense influence over their children’s behavior during adolescence. Adolescents who grow up with parents who are addicted to drugs and alcohol are more likely to turn to self-destructive behaviors such as suicide attempts. Because addiction in Iran is a primarily masculine phenomenon and in traditional Iranian culture, the father is responsible for family affairs and is recognized as the family provider, paternal addiction affects adolescent children. However, the impact of this type of parental addiction on adolescent suicide attempts has received little attention. This study was conducted to assess the impact of paternal addiction on adolescent suicide attempts. This was a qualitative study that used a grounded theory approach. Thirteen participants, from two hospitals in Shiraz (southern Iran), were interviewed. We used purposeful sampling, followed by theoretical sampling. Data were collected from in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was done using Strauss and Corbin’s (1998) approach, followed by the constant comparative method. The mean age of the adolescents was 15.75 ± 1.83, and all of them were single. Five main themes were extracted from the data: mental health problems, relationship problems, financial problems, family problems, and imitation of risky behaviors. The findings suggest that in addition to the need to consider paternal addiction in health care plans, it is also necessary to pay attention to other family members, including the adolescents themselves. Health care providers, including nurses, can use the findings from this study for the purposes of prevention and education.