Abstract
Patterns of Mental Distress Following the Violent Death of a Child and Predictors of Change Over Time
Murphy S A~~Chung I~~Johnson L C
The authors observed 173 parents bereaved by the violent death (including suicide) of an adolescent or young adult child. They then examined how initial levels of mental distress & the rate of change over time are influenced by nine predictors: parents’ gender, self-esteem, three coping strategies, perceived social support, negative life stressors, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, & early intervention. The results support a multiple-risk & -protective factor model. Implications are discussed. (63 refs)