Citation

Testoni I, Francescon E, De Leo D, Santini A, Zamperini A. Community Ment. Health J. 2019; 55(2): 360-368.

Affiliation

Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Pedagogy and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), Fisppa Department, University of Padova, Via Venezia 14, 35131, Padova, Italy.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10597-018-0291-3

PMID

29948630

Abstract

This article presents the qualitative analysis of reports obtained through participant observations collected over a 4-year period in a series of suicide survivor self-help group meetings. It analysed how grievers' healing was managed by their own support. The longitudinal study was focused on self/other blame and forgiveness.

RESULTS show how self-blame was continuously present along all the period and how it increased when new participants entered the group. This finding indicates that self-blame characterizes especially the beginning of the participation, and that any new entrance rekindles the problem. However, no participant had ever definitively demonstrated self-forgiveness, while a general forgiveness appeared when self-blame stopped. It is also suggested how to facilitate the elaboration of self-blame and forgiveness.

Language: en

Keywords

Causal attribution; Forgiveness; Self-help group; Self/other-blame; Suicide survivors