Purpose: To explore the real-life caregiving experiences and needs of family caregivers of adolescents with depression and somatic symptoms.
Method: A descriptive qualitative study was performed. Using purposive sampling, family caregivers (N = 19) of adolescents with depression and somatic symptoms were recruited from outpatient and inpatient departments of a psychiatric hospital in China and completed semi-structured interviews.
Results: Three main themes and nine subthemes emerged: (1) Disease Cognition Dilemma (subthemes: misattribution of physical symptoms; concerns about drug side effects and addiction; optimistic bias triggered by symptom relief); (2) Multiple Role Conflicts (subthemes: role conflict between caregiver and disease manager; role conflict between emotional supporter and self-suppressor; conflict between career development needs and care responsibilities); and (3) Lack of Support System (subthemes: insufficient medical resource support; insufficient professional care guidance; inadequate adaptation of the education system).
Conclusion: Psychiatric-mental health nurses should enhance family caregiving capabilities by providing structured illness education, care skills training, and social resource integration interventions, thereby promoting the recovery process of adolescents. Future research should focus on developing a nurse-led family support model and exploring the application of digital intervention technologies to build a more complete family care support system.