Abstract
In industrialized countries, the progressive chronicization of acute diseases is producing a wide range of chronically ill patients having a lethal prognosis at a relatively young age. Based on the above, it is not inconceivable that a teenager will have to face the death of a parent. The aims of this study were to describe the reactions, experiences, and needs of adolescents who lose a parent as a result of a chronic illness and to identify the factors that have proven to be useful in helping them deal with grief. A systematic search of the literature was performed in the CINAHL and PubMed databases. The analysis of 14 publications included has led to the identification of 4 key factors on mourning in adolescents: response to parent loss, the teenagers' life after the death of their parent and of their needs, coping strategies and the factors influencing the grieving process, and relations with context. Knowledge of the various aspects that need to be faced in supporting adolescents who lose a parent is a challenge for health professionals, parents, teachers, and those who want to initiate concrete actions to improve their well-being.