Child bereavement after paternal suicide. J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs 1995;8(2):5-17
Date
04/01/1995Pubmed ID
7795955DOI
10.1111/j.1744-6171.1995.tb00525.xScopus ID
2-s2.0-0029281752 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 14 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: Studies of child suicide survivors are rare and often these studies have not included direct interviews with children.
OBJECTIVES: To describe the bereavement process in a sample of prepubertal children whose fathers died by suicide within the previous three years.
METHODS: Sixteen prepubertal children, their mothers, and a relative or caretaker were interviewed to examine grief, trauma, and behavior within 25 months of paternal suicide.
RESULTS: Reminiscing was the most frequently endorsed grief behavior. Males were more likely than females to score above the standard means for CBCL scores. PTSD scores were significantly related to parental threats of divorce and exposure to death by discovery of the body.
CONCLUSIONS: The concept of grief and trauma as separate and overlapping phenomena is supported by the study findings.
Author List
Grossman JA, Clark DC, Gross D, Halstead L, Pennington JAuthor
David C. Clark PhD Assistant Dean, Professor in the Research Office department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
BereavementChild
Fathers
Female
Humans
Interview, Psychological
Male
Psychology, Child
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Suicide
