A model to assist psychiatric nurses in facilitating support of parents who are caring for an adolescent with a mental disorder.

BACKGROUND  An estimated one in seven adolescents globally experiences a mental disorder, and parents, as primary caregivers, play an essential role in caring for their adolescent with a mental disorder. Consequently, parents face many challenges and require support from psychiatric nurses.

OBJECTIVES  To describe and evaluate the development of a model for psychiatric nurses to facilitate support for parents who are caring for an adolescent with a mental disorder.

METHOD  A theory-generative, qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study design was used to develop the model. The central concept of the model was derived from a previous study. The process entailed identifying the central concept and other essential criteria, classifying the central concepts and describing the relationships between them.

RESULTS  The central concept was identified as 'facilitation of support' for parents who are caring for an adolescent with a mental disorder. The identified and defined central concepts were placed into interrelated statements. The model to facilitate support for parents who are caring for an adolescent with a mental disorder was developed, described and evaluated. The model has not been implemented.

CONCLUSION  The model provides facilitation of support for parents who are caring for an adolescent with a mental disorder. Additionally, the model empowers psychiatric nurses with the skills to facilitate support for parents.Contribution: The model contributes to the facilitation of support for parents who are caring for an adolescent with a mental disorder. This model will also contribute to the empowerment of psychiatric nurses.