This diploma thesis focuses on the partner relationship of parents raising a child with a chronic illness, a topic that remains relatively overlooked in both professional and academic literature. The study sought to explore how a child’s illness reshapes the partner relationship in terms of communication, conflict, emotional and sexual intimacy, and the experience of both partner and parental roles. It also examined how the relationship evolves throughout the different stages of the illness and which protective factors parents identify as essential for maintaining their relationship.
The research adopted a qualitative approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews based on a set of pre-prepared interview guidelines. The study included nine parents whose children had been diagnosed with various chronic conditions, including cancer, cerebral palsy, haemophilia, Noonan syndrome, epilepsy, ADHD, allergies, and atopic dermatitis. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.
The findings indicate that the way a partner relationship changes following a diagnosis is influenced both by characteristics already present within the relationship before the illness and by factors that emerge in response to it. For most participants, the child’s illness led to greater emotional intimacy, a stronger sense of partnership, and the development of more constructive communication patterns. For some, however, it intensified existing vulnerabilities and contributed to a gradual emotional distancing. Owing to the psychological and physical demands of caregiving, fatigue, and periods of physical separation during treatment, sexual intimacy was often relegated to a secondary role. The dynamics of partner relationships also varied across different stages of the illness. The period of waiting for a diagnosis, receiving the diagnosis, and the initial phase of treatment were generally characterised by strong mutual support. In contrast, the period following the completion of treatment emerged as the most vulnerable stage for many participants, as tensions that had been consciously or unconsciously set aside during the more intensive phases of the illness began to surface. Following the diagnosis, the parental role became more demanding for all participants, both practically and emotionally. Parents assumed responsibilities as coordinators of their child’s healthcare, advocates for their child, and decision-makers in medical situations. Their experiences were often accompanied by feelings of guilt, fear, responsibility, and anxiety. Compared with their parental role, participants found it considerably more difficult to define and reflect upon their partner role. Many did not perceive it as a distinct aspect of their identity but rather as an integral part of being a parent. The most important protective factor identified by participants was the existence of a strong relationship foundation established before the child’s illness. In addition, relationship quality was maintained through open communication, shared time together, and small acts of care and attention, while support from both close family members and the wider social network also played a significant role.
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