Perceptions of Social Support by Suicide Survivors and Their Social Networks

2 groups participated in the authors’ investigation of survivors & members of their support systems. Each group completed objective scales of the social support that was offered or received by the family & a grief recovery scale. All participants were interviewed. Analysis of the qualitative data indicated that survivors believed that only other suicide survivors could fully understand them & that they experienced implicit pressure from others to “recover” from their loss. (13 refs.)