NETWORK AND MUTUAL SUPPORT FOR PARENTS BEREAVED FOLLOWING THE VIOLENTDEATHS OF THEIR 12-YEAR-OLD TO 28-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN - A LONGITUDINAL,PROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS

Social support provided by bereaved parents' networks was examined in this study. Seven dimensions of support were assessed over time. Of sp ecial interest to the investigators were the types and frequency of po sttreatment contacts among bereaved parents who participated in an exp erimental support program. The study compared those who reported high versus low social support and high versus low numbers of network confi dants on selected outcome and coping variables. The authors recruited a community-based sample of 171 bereaved mothers and 90 bereaved fathe rs whose 12- to 28-year-old children had died by accident, suicide, or homicide 4 months previously. Parents were randomly assigned to a 12- week bereavement program or control group. It was expected that interv ention group parents would report more social network in involvement a nd greater satisfaction with support received than control group paren ts, This hypothesis was only partially supported. Only 20% of the pare nts who participated in the bereavement program remained in contact af ter the experimental program ended. Finally, significant differences d etected between parents who reported high and low support were minimal and not sustained over time. The number of network confidants did not significantly affect the outcomes examined. However, in general, thos e with more confidants reported lower symptoms. Additional studies are needed to address these complex issues.