Psychological Effects of Parental Suicide on Surviving Children (IN: Survivors of Suicide, ed. by A Cain)

Based upon long-term follow-up & therapy of 17 children whose parents had committed suicide, unconscious guilt was seen as the main cause of the negative effects, including depression, suicidal preoccupation, general psychological disturbance, & suicide in the offspring. Guilt arose due to the child’s unconscious parental death wish and rage over the parental suicide. The reduction of inappropriate overresponsibility & guilt were seen as critical to therapeutic success. (KSD)