3.2.4. Perceptions of the Program
depression, guilt, mood disorder
EVENTS, SAID
Forty of the fifty young people reported parental depression continued to be an important issue in the family. The qualitative interview sought to understand how participating in the study affected the emerging adults and their families. When asked the question, “Do you think being in the project made a difference in your family?” forty-seven participants responded. Thirty-six said yes, seven said no, and four were unsure. Participants reported, “It gave me some way to talk about my Dad’s depression”; and, “It opened up an opportunity to talk in the family and understand more.” Participants also cited improved awareness of the illness as being a positive outcome of the study. One young adult said, “It made everyone more aware of each other’s moods”; with another saying, “It helped me recognize their issues and my own issues with depression and helped me understand them better.” Three main themes emerged in response to the question about what might be helpful to other kids. These were: realizing it was not anyone’s fault, realizing that many families had to deal with depression so there was no need to feel ashamed, and recognizing the importance of understanding the situation and valuing family openness. One of our goals in the intervention was to educate children about the causes of depression and diminish any guilt, particularly in terms of the children taking responsibility for parental depression. Only five of the thirty-eight young adults who responded to this question felt they did not know what caused depression; one felt he had caused the illness and a second said raising children was a contributing factor. The majority of these young adults, twenty of thirty-eight who answered the question, felt that the source of the mood disorder was stressful life events. Many also blamed the parent’s difficult childhood, but marital strain and job dissatisfaction were also given as potential causes. Another eleven young adults felt it was a combination of stressful life events and genetic factors. Thirty of forty young adults stated unequivocally that they did not feel guilty or to blame for the parent’s depression. Another four said they felt some guilt earlier, but, as they grew older, had come to understand it was not their fault. Most of the rest gave responses that indicated they still had some struggle with the issue, at least to a certain degree. 