GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PARENTAL PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS FOLLOWING PERINATAL DEATH OR SUDDEN-INFANT-DEATH-SYNDROME

Background. Stress responses of bereaved parents (mothers 194, fathers 143) who experienced infant loss were compared with parents (mothers 203, fathers 157) with a live born child. Method. Psychological distre ss using scales of anxiety, depression and alcohol use was compared at 2, 8, 15 and 30 months post-loss. Results. Bereaved mothers showed si gnificantly more anxiety/depression than controls at ail four intervie ws. For bereaved fathers, anxiety/depression differed significantly fr om controls only at two months. Heavy alcohol use was significantly mo re prevalent at 2 and 30 months. Relative risks showed significant gen der differences between bereaved parents at all four interviews for an xiety/depression. When this outcome was extended to include heavy drin king in addition to anxiety/depression, these differences diminished a nd were significant only at 2 and 8 months. Conclusion. Female respons es are longer lasting and reflected by elevated levels of anxiety! dep ression. Male responses equally involve anxiety, depression and heavy alcohol consumption.