The experience of internal and external supporting objects from the perspective of six young women who have lost a parent to cancer- An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Background: Adolescents losing a parent are a risk group for future complications in their ongoing live such as higher rate of mortality, self- harm and other mental health problems. There is a lack of knowledge in what, how and when to offer help as well as no concluding theoretical model to understand the whole process of losing a parent. The objective of this study was to examine how the relationships of some young people are affected by the loss of a parent to cancer during their teenage years.