Reactions to the Parents of the Child Suicide: A Study of Social Impressions

Reactions to simulated newspaper accounts of a child’s death were compared when the cause of death was suicide or illness. When the death was reported as suicide, the parents were rated as less likeable, were blamed more for the child’s death, the child was perceived as more disturbed and more respondents felt that the newspaper should not have printed the cause of death. Implications for treatment of bereaved parents are suggested.