Major Depression or Uncomplicated Bereavement? A Follow-Up of Youth Exposed to Suicide

121 friends & acquaintenances of 26 adolescent suicides were followed up 1-18 months after an initial interview. The median duration of depression in the 37 subjects who became depressed after exposure was 8 months. Within the group of exposed subjects, the rate of depression on follow-up was highest in those who developed a depressive disorder before exposure to suicide. There was no evidence of an increased incidence of suicide attempts in the exposed group relative to the unexposed controls.