A Preliminary Study on the Development of a Stigma Scale for Suicide Survivors

Background: This preliminary study explored the stigma surrounding suicide loss in survivors in South Korea and develops a scale for measuring this stigma.Methods: An open-ended survey (N=57; 18 men, 39 women) and a structured questionnaire (N=250; 94 males, 156 females) were administered to adults who had experienced bereavement due to the suicide of a close family member or partner (e.g., parent, child, spouse, or significant other). Preliminary items were generated based on open-ended responses. The items were then subjected to content validation and revision by a panel of experts, resulting in 70 preliminary items. The questionnaire was administered based on these items.Results: The exploratory factor analysis yielded a stigma scale comprising four factors and 15 items. The four factors were labeled as follows: Vulnerable Individual, Responsibility for Suicide, Relational Discomfort, and Relational Distancing. The scale demonstrated acceptable internal consistency.Conclusions: This study is relevant because it developed a culturally relevant scale to assess the stigma experienced by survivors of suicide loss in Korean society.