The aftermath of a suicide cluster in the age of online social networking: A qualitative analysis of adolescent grief reactions.

Although suicide clusters have been identified in many populations, research exploring the role of online communication in the aftermath of a suicide cluster is extremely limited. This study used the Consensual Qualitative Research method to analyze interviews with ten high school students 1 year after a suicide cluster in a small suburban school district. Interviewee’s responses were organized into four domains: The Suicide, Impact, Perceptions of School Environment, and Recovery. The role of social networking emerged as a common theme across domains, suggesting broad relevance to adolescents’ experience following the suicide of a peer. Implications for clinical intervention, research, and school policies in the response to student suicides are discussed.