Date of Conferral

10-27-2026

Date of Award

October 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Artishia Dasher

Abstract

Parental mental illness can expose children to unstable environments that influence their emotional development, relational behaviors, coping mechanisms, and long-term functioning into adulthood. A qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was employed to explore the lived experiences of young adults who grew up with at least one parent experiencing mental illness and to understand how these experiences influenced their development. Attachment theory and family systems theory served as the theoretical foundations for this study. The research questions were used to explore how adverse childhood experiences and family dynamics involving parental mental illness shaped emotional development, relational behaviors, coping mechanisms, and cognitive patterns in young adults. Data were collected through anonymous online questionnaires completed by 14 participants between the ages of 18 and 25 years old. Responses were analyzed through inductive line-by-line coding and thematic analysis. The findings revealed three primary themes: Identity and self-perception, emotional impact, and long-term impact, along with supporting themes related to childhood instability, relationships, coping mechanisms, and understanding of mental illness. Participants described experiences involving emotional burden, anxiety, relational difficulties, maladaptive coping strategies, and parentification, while also reporting resilience, empathy, emotional awareness, and personal growth. These findings reflected a dual impact of adversity involving both vulnerability and resilience. The findings support the existing literature and theoretical frameworks while emphasizing the complexity and unpredictability of the developmental outcomes.

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