Narratives and story telling in coping with grief and bereavement

My daughter was a normal, healthy young lady, looking forward to becoming a teenager. Then, a strange sensation appeared in the muscle of her upper arm and everything changed! She waged the toughest battle of her life, but died of cancer in the middle of her thirteenth year. How does a mother cope with so […]

How best to provide help to bereaved adolescents: A Delphi consensus study

Background: Many adolescents struggle with their grief and mental health issues after the death of a close person, such as a family member or a friend. Given the potentially devastating impact of the loss on the adolescent and their family, professional help can be warranted. However, little is known about how to best help these […]

An integrative systematic review of online resources and interventions for people bereaved by suicide

Suicide bereavement is frequent in the general population and it can have deleterious consequences on the mental health and social functioning of the bereaved individuals. However, those bereaved can face substantial barriers to receive support, and online resources may improve the accessibility of support. This systematic review aimed at examining the use and benefits of online resources […]

Using multiple regression analyses to uncover patterns of correlates of grief problems, depression and suicidal ideation among suicide bereaved individuals

This analysis of a convenience sample survey of 195 suicide bereaved adults focuses on predictors of three important highly interrelated experiences among the suicide bereaved: grief problems, depression and suicidal thinking. Although each of these three experiences can be explained by a unique set of predictors, they share many commonalities. Several predictors stood out especially […]

Addressing psychological distress in people bereaved through suicide: From care to cure

To illustrate the main characteristics of the request for and choice of support by a population accessing a dedicated service for people bereaved through suicide.The participants were divided first according to their reason for requesting support and based on their choice of intervention, which were “caring” services (improve knowledge about suicide prevention, postvention and grief […]

Effectiveness of interventions for people bereaved through suicide: A systematic review of controlled studies of grief, psychosocial and suicide-related outcomes

Background Suicide bereavement is a risk factor for adverse outcomes related to grief, social functioning, mental health and suicidal behaviour. Consequently, suicide bereavement support (i.e., postvention) has been identified as an important suicide prevention strategy. However, little is known about its effectiveness. To redress this gap, this review aimed to assess the evidence of effectiveness […]

Grief after euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide: A systematic review

Background: Several countries have regulated euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Research has looked at the experiences of patients, family, and professionals. However, little is known of the effects on bereaved individuals. Aims: We aimed to assess (a) what is known about the grief and mental health of people bereaved by euthanasia or PAS and (b) the quality of […]

Grief after suicide: A study of taboo and metaphor

This article analyzes the negotiation of taboo surrounding grief after the suicide of a loved one. It draws on ethnographic fieldwork with a support group and individual interviews with its members. While the topic of taboo was prominent at group meetings, the same group members tended to claim in the interviews that they had not […]

Suicide and sudden death bereavement in Australia: a longitudinal study of family members over 2 years after death

Objective: Grief reactions change over time. However, only a limited number of studies, and none in Australia, have analysed changes in individual grief reactions longitudinally. The aim is to examine changes in grief reactions, mental health and suicidality of close family members bereaved by suicide, 6, 12 and 24 months after their loss compared with those […]

Online-group intervention after suicide bereavement through the use of webinars: Study protocol for randomized controlled trial

Introduction The death of a significant person through suicide is a very difficult experience and can have long-term impact on an individual’s psychosocial and physical functioning. However, there are only few studies which have examined the effects of interventions in suicide survivors. In the present study, we examined an online-group intervention for people bereaved by […]

Grief after suicide

Thirty years ago, I lost my brother to suicide. A talented athlete, a gifted photographer, a deeply compassionate man. A lonely act as he tried to shake off the demons of psychosis. The end of a 3-year battle with schizophrenia. A month ago, my closest friends lost their son. Another suicide. A wonderful, charismatic, clever […]

Prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation in a treatment-seeking sample of violent loss survivors

Background: Family members grieving the traumatic death of a loved one, as in cases of homicide, suicide, and fatal accidents, are at risk for a number of trauma and bereavement-related mental health problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, prolonged grief disorder, and suicidal ideation (SI). Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and […]

Anishinabek spirituality: Traversing grief and loss

This research was an interpretive study that sought to understand how Anishinabek individuals work through death and loss within the context of culture and spirituality. Multicultural counselling is discussed in the “tangential way in which issues of diversity and multiculturalism are addressed” (Parham, 1995, p. xi) within the counselling forum. Observing that “racial identity is […]

A systematic mapping of suicide bereavement and postvention research and a proposed strategic research agenda

Background: Suicide may have disruptive and/or devastating effects on family, friends, and the broader community. Of late, increased interest from suicide researchers has given rise to an upsurge in research productivity addressing suicide bereavement and postvention. At this critical juncture, the establishment of an agenda will help guide the direction of future scholarly research in this […]

Suicide and other sudden death bereavement of immediate family members: An analysis of grief reactions six-months after death

Introduction While suicide bereavement has been assumed to be different from bereavement following death by other modes, a number of studies have reported that there are several similarities, particularly for violent deaths. The aims of the current study are to test, using confirmatory factor analysis, the factor structure of Grief Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) that has […]

Shadows from the past: The mothering experience of women survivors of maternal suicide

Raising children, while challenging in the best of times, can be more complicated for a woman who lost her own mother during her childhood/adolescent years. This study examines the long-term impact of maternal suicide as evident in the mothering experiences of 12 Israeli women. Findings The participants’ descriptions reveal a constant Sisyphean struggle to move […]

Prolonged grief symptomatology following violent loss: The mediating role of meaning

Background: Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is over-represented among those who have lost loved ones to violent causes. To tailor PGD interventions for this vulnerable population it is critical to examine the aetiology of PGD specifically in the context of violent death bereavement. Previous studies have suggested that violent loss increases symptoms of PGD by hindering the […]

The aftermath of a suicide cluster in the age of online social networking: A qualitative analysis of adolescent grief reactions.

Although suicide clusters have been identified in many populations, research exploring the role of online communication in the aftermath of a suicide cluster is extremely limited. This study used the Consensual Qualitative Research method to analyze interviews with ten high school students 1 year after a suicide cluster in a small suburban school district. Interviewee’s responses […]

The stigma associated with bereavement by suicide and other sudden deaths: A qualitative interview study.

Quantitative studies have found that suicide bereavement is associated with suicide attempt, and is perceived as the most stigmatising of sudden losses. Their findings also suggest that perceived stigma may explain the excess suicidality. There is a need to understand the nature of this stigma and address suicide risk in this group. We aimed to describe and […]

Life & loss: A guide to help grieving children. (2nd ed.)

With this resource, the reader learns to recognize and understand different types of childhood losses while avoiding the stifling cliches that block feeling. The reader will also become aware of the myths that hinder the grief process, learn the four psychological tasks of grief, and help a child say good-bye to a dying loved one. […]

Prolonged grief and depression after unnatural loss: Latent class analyses and cognitive correlates.

We examined symptom profiles of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) and depression. ¥ Data were obtained from people confronted with violent/unnatural loss. Latent class analysis revealed resilient, PGD, and combined PGD/Depression classes. Educational level, time since loss, and age predicted class-membership. Endorsement of negative cognitions differentiated between classes.

Suicide loss survivors’ experiences with therapy: Implications for clinical practice.

Over two-thirds of suicide loss survivors, those who have lost a loved one to suicide, seek individual therapy following their loss. However, nothing is known about what survivors find helpful about therapy or how therapy impacts their grief. An online survey was conducted June 2012ÐMarch 2013 with a convenience sample of 197 survivors primarily from […]

Experiences of suicide bereavement: A qualitative study exploring the role of the GP.

Suicide is a major public health issue. GPs are often on the front line in responding to a suicide. They are called on to support individuals and families in the aftermath of suicide yet there is a dearth of research, particularly from patientsÕ perspectives, on how to provide optimal care for those grieving a suicide […]