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This qualitative study was carried out with a phenomenological design to determine the life experiences of the parents of children with hearing loss. The study sample consisted of twenty parents, who did not have hearing loss, of children with hearing loss registered in a special education and rehabilitation center. The data were collected through in-depth interviews in Istanbul between December and January 2022. Colaizzi’s phenomenological interpretation method was used for qualitative data analysis. It was determined that parents of children with hearing loss experienced anxiety, sadness, and happiness during diagnosis. They needed more information at first, but then they gained knowledge in the process, and it took work to accept this process. They stated that having a child with hearing loss requires more time, responsibility, and effort than other children. This situation affects their social life, and they experience interpersonal conflicts. When parents were asked how they coped, they said they did it through prayer, social support, or time to themselves. It can be recommended to apply psychosocial intervention programs to the parents of children with hearing loss, especially their mothers, from the first diagnosis process.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to compare the internalized stigmatization scores of adolescents and their parents who were followed in the child and adolescent psychiatry clinic. METHODS: This study was consisted by 60 adolescents and 60 parents of children and adolescent who were followed in the child and adolescent psychiatry clinic between January and May 2019. Data were collected by using the information form, Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI) and Parents Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (PISMI). In the analysis of the data, number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis Test and Cronbach Alpha Coefficient were used in SPSS 25.0 program. RESULTS: The median age of adolescents and their parents were 14.53+-1,79 and 40,9+-5,8 respectively. 66.7% of the parents were married, 83.3% were female and 35% were primary school graduates. 55% of adolescents were male and 63.3% were in middle school. 35% of the adolescents were diagnosed as conduct disorder, 28.3% were diagnosed with Attention Deficiency Hyperactivity Disorder and 22% were diagnosed with mood disorders. There was no significant difference between ISMI and PISMI total score and subscale scores among adolescents and parents participating in the study (p>0.05). However, there was only statistically significant difference between the alienation subscale scores between the two groups (p