How They Died, Time Since Loss, and Bereavement Outcomes

This analysis explores associations between differing death circumstances & the course of bereavement among a sample of 540 bereaved parents. Comparisons were made among 462 parents whose children died by suicide, 54 parents who lost children from other trauma, & 24 parents whose children died from natural causes. Results were mixed, showing suicide survivors with more grief difficulties & other mental health problems on some criteria, though most findings showed no substantive differences between the subgroups. Results also showed, in the first years after loss, repeated suicide attempts & prior negative relationships with the decedent were associated with greater grief difficulties. However, as more time passed, all death circumstance differences were overshadowed by the importance of the time span since loss. (34 refs.)