Social adjustment of widows after a sudden death: Suicide and non-suicide survivors compared

This study compared the social adjustment of widows following the sudden death of a spouse by suicide with the social adjustment of widows following the sudden death of a spouse by natural or accidental causes, and identified variables related to social adjustment. A convenience sample of 40 young to middle-aged widows (20 suicide survivors and 20 non-suicide survivors) was obtained from coroners' records. Hypotheses were (a) that suicide survivors would exhibit less satisfactory overall social adjustment; (b) that suicide survivors would exhibit greater guilt and resentment; and (c) that suicide survivors would exhibit less satisfactory adjustment in the social leisure role than non-suicide survivors. The widows were interviewed in their homes during the second year of bereavement, and social adjustment was assessed with Weissman's Social Adjustment Scale. Only one of the three hypotheses was supported. Suicide survivors did not exhibit less satisfactory overall social adjustment nor less satisfactory adjustment in the social leisure role but did exhibit more guilt and resentment. Mode of death was not related to overall social adjustment but several other variables were, including suspecting the spouse might die, and employment pre-and post-bereavement. In conclusion, the suicide survivors were not at greater risk than non-suicide survivors for poor bereavement outcome; however, there were qualitative differences in their social adjustment.