Survivors of Suicide do Grieve Differently: Empirical Support for a Common Sense Proposition

To further investigate the influence of suicide on grief, 350 previously bereaved university students completed a questionnaire package consisting of several standardized measures. Participants were separated into 4 groups based on the mode of death. Multiple regression analyses indicated that suicide survivors, compared to the other groups, experienced more frequent feelings of rejection, responsibility, “unique” reactions, more total grief reactions, increased shame & perceived stigmatization.