Parenting late-stage adolescents: a qualitative study of parental roles and quality of life

Background Having children in their adolescence can affect parents’ quality of life. Parents must navigate their children’s growing independence and face challenges, as adolescents often experience stronger emotions and tend to distance themselves from their parents. There is a lack of knowledge about quality of life in parents of adolescents in the general population and how they experience their parental role. This study aims to explore how parents of late-stage adolescents experience their parental role and their quality of life, and how these experiences are influenced by the developmental, social, and health-related circumstances of their adolescents. Methods A qualitative design was conducted with individual semi-structured in-depth interviews of 15 Norwegian parents of adolescents aged 16–19 years. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results Three major themes were identified: (1) Challenging, but mostly joy, (2) If my child is doing well, I am doing well and (3) A process of detachment – you need to let go. Several parents expressed feelings of joy seeing their children become more reflective and independent. However, parents also faced challenges as their adolescents made their own choices. A key aspect of parenting late-stage adolescents involved detachment, balancing giving freedom and responsibility while offering guidance as needed. Parents’ quality of life was closely connected to how their children were coping with challenges in everyday life. When the children were doing well, the parents perceived their own quality of life as good, and it was easier for them to prioritize own needs. Conclusions The parental role changes during adolescence. Adolescents are increasingly becoming more autonomous, and parents must balance between giving freedom, setting boundaries and offering sufficient support to their adolescents. This process can be demanding and affect parents’ quality of life. However, most important to parents is their children’s well-being; thus, parents’ quality of life depends on how well their children are doing. The results indicate that parents need more information on how to prepare for their adolescents’ complex emotions and behavioral changes, along with guidance on fostering healthy autonomy while ensuring open, trusting communication.