Year: 1978 Source: Journal of Clinical Psychology, v.34, no.4, (1978), p.850-856 SIEC No: 19832024

In a controlled study, children’s perceptions of death were matched with normal, aggressive, and suicidal tendencies. Suicidal children were found to consider suicide as a personal cause of death. They also expressed a stronger belief in life after their personal death. As to impersonal (others’) death, suicidal children’s perceptions resembled those of normal respondents. A concluding summary attributes perceptions to defensive reactions rather than cognitive dysfunction. (TG)