Citation

Bailley SE, Kral MJ, Dunham K. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 1999; 29(3): 256-271.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10531638

Abstract

Previous empirical investigations have produced mixed results on the question of whether mode of death differentially affects grief. 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 four groups based on the mode of death experienced as either survivors of suicide (n = 34), accident (n = 57), unanticipated natural (n = 102), or anticipated natural (n = 157) deaths. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that suicide survivors, compared against the other groups, experienced more frequent feelings of rejection, responsibility, "unique" reactions, and more total grief reactions. Trends indicating increased levels of shame and perceived stigmatization were also evident. Aggregate factors of death "naturalness" and "expectedness" showed less influence than mode of death in influencing grief. Overall, results support previous clinical and research findings and intuitive logic in demonstrating that the grief experienced by suicide survivors includes elements that are less frequently seen in the case of nonsuicidal deaths.