Is suicide bereavement different? A reassessment of the literature

The question of whether suicide bereavement is different from mourning afte r other types of deaths has important theoretical and clinical implications . Some recent literature reviews have argued that the differences may be mi nimal. In contrast, this article suggests that suicide bereavement is disti nct in three significant ways: the thematic content of the grief, the socia l processes surrounding the survivor, and the impact suicide has on family systems. In addition, problems in the methodology used to compare different bereavement experiences are addressed. Some clinical implications of these conclusions, including the need for homogeneous support groups, psychoeduc ational services, and family and social network interventions are also disc ussed.