Alternative Title

Examining resiliency in survivors of a parent or caregiver's suicide

Publication Date

2017

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Study Type

Qualitative

Degree Name

Master of Social Work

Department

School for Social Work

Keywords

Resilience (Personality trait), Children of suicide victims-Psychology, Child survivor, Sucide survivor, Resiliency

Abstract

Suicide is a prevalent public health issue in the United States as it intimately effects many Americans annually. This study explored the bereavement and coping processes as well as strength and resiliency of adult children who lost their parent to death by suicide. Twelve adult children were recruited for this study through social media and suicide support groups. Participants were interviewed by phone and interviews were transcribed and analyzed using an inductive approach. The following themes were identified: intensity of the loss, secondary trauma of suicide, feelings of stigma, solace in talking about their parent, researching mental illness, attending grief groups, and advocating for suicide prevention. This research is limited in scope but provides important information for clinicians caring for suicide survivors. Future research should explore secondary trauma of suicide survivors as this was a significant theme within the study.

Language

English

Comments

iv, 68 pages. Includes bibliographical references (pages 55-61)

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