The Perceived Impact of Suicide Bereavement on Specific Interpersonal Relationships: A Qualitative Study of Survey Data

Valeriya Azorina, Nicola Morant, Hedvig Nesse, Fiona Stevenson, David Osborn, Michael King and Alexandra Pitman
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Valeriya Azorina: UCL Division of Psychiatry, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7NF, UK
Nicola Morant: UCL Division of Psychiatry, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7NF, UK
Hedvig Nesse: UCL Division of Psychiatry, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7NF, UK
Fiona Stevenson: UCL Research Department of Primary Care & Population Health, Rowland Hill St, London NW3 2PF, UK
David Osborn: UCL Division of Psychiatry, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7NF, UK
Michael King: UCL Division of Psychiatry, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7NF, UK
Alexandra Pitman: UCL Division of Psychiatry, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7NF, UK

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 10, 1-15

Abstract: People bereaved by suicide have an increased risk of suicide and suicide attempt, yet report receiving less support than people bereaved by other sudden deaths. Reductions in support may contribute to suicide risk, yet their nature is unclear. We explored the impact of suicide bereavement on the interpersonal relationships of young adults in the UK using an online survey to collect qualitative data. We conducted thematic analysis of free-text responses from 499 adults to questions capturing the impact of bereavement on relationships with partners, close friends, close family, extended family, and other contacts. We identified four main themes describing the changes in relationships following the suicide: (1) Social discomfort over the death (stigma and taboo; painfulness for self or others to discuss; socially prescribed grief reactions); (2) social withdrawal (loss of social confidence; withdrawal as a coping mechanism); (3) shared bereavement experience creating closeness and avoidance; (4) attachments influenced by fear of further losses (overprotectiveness towards others; avoiding attachments as protective). These findings contribute to understanding deficits in support and pathways to suicidality after suicide bereavement. Such disrupted attachments add to the burden of grief and could be addressed by public education on how to support those bereaved by suicide.

Keywords: suicide bereavement; qualitative research; grief; bereavement; social support; interpersonal relationships; kinship (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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