Suicide bereaved parents: Emotional distress and physical health problems

Abstract The emotional distress and physical health problems of 59 parents whose children died by suicide and 61 parents whose children died by other modes were compared. The hypotheses that suicide bereaved parents would report greater emotional distress and more physical health problems than parents of children who died oj accidents and chronic disease were not supported. Both groups of parents had moderate levels of emotional distress and reported an increase in health problems including an increased use of drugs. In addition, they reported that sleep problems and appetite changes were moderately distressing.