It is our experience with certain patients that the relevance of some biographic material (life-events) is only understood in a family interview.

This article focusses on the meaning of the loss of a parent in adolescence and the conditions of mourning.

By means of two case-studies and relevant literature we describe:

1. Characteristics of the family which are indicative of unresolved mourning.

2. The relation between parental loss in adolescence and psychiatric disorder later in life.

3. Therapeutic possibilities.

Our conclusions are:

a. The etiological role of parental loss for psychiatric disorder is significant but complex.

b. In unresolved mourning, especially if the loss occurred during adolescence, an explorative family interview can be usefull and even a precondition in establishing a (therapeutic) relationship with the patient.