Responses following Suicide and Other Types of Death: The Perspective of the Bereaved

In order to compare the bereavement experience following different types of death, fifty-seven university students who had recently lost a friend or relative by suicide, accident, homicide, natural anticipated death, or natural unanticipated death were interviewed about their reactions and how they were treated by others. Those bereaved through suicide appeared to share a common core of experiences with all other groups, particularly as compared to those bereaved through accidental deaths. However, those bereaved through either suicidal or accidental deaths, more than survivors of other types of death, said that people treated them differently after the death; those bereaved through accidents listed more positive responses from others than did those bereaved through suicide. Those bereaved through suicide were unique in saying they were expected to explain the nature of the death to others in the community and in saying they lied about the cause of death. These results imply that those bereaved through suicide apparently receive less community support than survivors of accidents and other types of death.