Citation

Nelson BJ, Frantz TT. Omega (Westport) 1996; 33(2): 131-146.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, Sage Publications)

DOI

10.2190/3AQ4-KUQE-KJ4R-8Q89

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We studied the effects of the death of a child by suicide (N = 34) versus non-suicide (N = 46) on family dynamics of forty-one parents and thirty-nine surviving siblings. Participants were solicited through bereavement groups, flyers, and newspaper advertisements. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Bloom Family Interaction Scale, and a Closeness/Distance questionnaire about four years post death.

RESULTS included: 1) disengaged or conflicted families experienced greater distance while cohesive or expressive families reported more closeness; 2) sibling survivors felt closer to their fathers after the death than before and reported more family conflict than did parents; 3) there were no differences between suicide survivors and non-suicide survivors in perceived closeness between family pairs before or after the death. © 1996, Baywood Publishing Co., Inc.

Language: en