Longitudinal Changes in Suicide Bereavement Experiences: A Qualitative Study of Family Members over 18 Months after Loss

Yan Chen () and Aarno Laitila
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Yan Chen: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Kärki, Mattilanniemi 6, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
Aarno Laitila: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Kärki, Mattilanniemi 6, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-14

Abstract: Family members bereaved by their loved ones’ suicidal death normally undergo a complicated and lengthy bereavement process. In this qualitative case study, we explored longitudinal changes in the suicide bereavement process by applying assimilation analysis, based on the Assimilation Model (AM) and the Assimilation of Problematic Experiences Scale (APES), to longitudinal interview data collected from two Chinese suicide-bereaved individuals within the first 18 months after their loss. The results showed that over time the participants both progressed in adapting to their traumatic losses. Assimilation analysis both effectively elaborated the difference in the inner world of the bereaved and clearly demonstrated development in their adaptation to the loss. This study contributes new knowledge on the longitudinal changes in suicide bereavement experiences and demonstrates the applicability of assimilation analysis to suicide bereavement research. Professional help and resources need to be tailored and adapted to meet the changing needs of suicide-bereaved family members.

Keywords: longitudinal changes; suicide bereavement; qualitative; family members; 18 months (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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