phenomenology of the girls’ psychological distress caused by the loss of the father: a qualitative study

Objective: this study aimed to provide a phenomenological analysis of psychological distress caused by the loss of the father in female adolescents in tabriz, iran.methods: this phenomenological study was conducted using a qualitative approach. seven female adolescents who had lost their fathers in childhood due to illness were selected using purposive sampling. the data were collected through semi-structured interviews until data saturation. the interview texts were analyzed using colaizzi’s method.results: the findings of the study showed that psychological distress experienced by the girls by the absence of their fathers could be described with three main categories and eleven subcategories. the identified categories were emotional pressures (deprivation of companionship, deprivation of a supporter, mother’s pressure, recalling memories and worries), social pressures (others’ mistakes, hiding, inhibition, and limited relationships), and economic pressures (self-reliance and financial problems).conclusion: the dimensions of psychological distress experienced by male and female adolescents due to the absence of their fathers or mothers should be considered in psychological assessments and interventions.