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Cited by 140Grief, Bereavement, and Mental HealthSuicide and Self-Harm StudiesDeath, Funerary Practices, and Mourning

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 37 of the 37 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The stigma perceived by people bereaved by suicide and other sudden deaths: A cross-sectional UK study of 3432 bereaved adults

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Pitman, Alexandra L., Osborn, David P.J., Rantell, Khadija, King, Michael B.·2016·Journal of Psychosomatic Research
DOI 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2016.05.009PMC PMC4988532
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that perceived stigma scores in young adults bereaved by suicide are significantly higher than in young adults bereaved by other sudden deaths, whether blood-related to the deceased or not. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of all staff and students aged 18-40 at 37 UK higher educational institutions in 2010, and identified 3432 respondents who had experienced a sudden bereavement of a close contact since reaching the age of 10, either due to sudden natural causes, sudden unnatural causes, or suicide. We used multivariable regression to compare scores on the stigma, shame, responsibility and guilt subscales of the Grief Experience Questionnaire, adjusting for socio-demographic factors and pre-bereavement psychopathology. RESULTS: People bereaved by suicide (n=614) had higher stigma scores than people bereaved by sudden natural death (n=2106; adjusted coefficient=2.52; 95% CI=2.13-2.90; p=<0.001) and people bereaved by sudden unnatural death (n=712; adjusted coefficient=1.69; 95% CI=1.25-2.13; p=<0.001). Shame, responsibility and guilt scores were also significantly higher in people bereaved by suicide, whether compared with bereavement by sudden natural death or sudden unnatural death. Associations were not modified by whether the bereaved was blood-related to the deceased or not. CONCLUSIONS: Stigma was perceived more acutely by the relatives and friends of those who died by suicide than those bereaved by other causes of sudden natural or sudden unnatural death. Their high levels of perceived stigma, shame, responsibility and guilt require qualitative investigation to identify whether these grief dimensions limit social functioning, help-seeking behaviour and/or support offered.

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Authors
Pitman, A. L., Osborn, D. P. J., Rantell, K., & King, M. B.
Affiliations
  • St Pancras Hospital (GB)
  • UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology (GB)
Corresponding author
Pitman, Alexandra L.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-08
Volume
87
Pages
22-29
ISSN
0022-3999 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.jpsychores.2016.05.009
PMC
PMC4988532
OpenAlex
W2400114439
Cited by
140
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 3
FWCI
15.60
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Psychosomatic Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Medical Research Council (MRC) Population Health Scientist Fellowship (G0802441)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
Keywords
suicide bereavement, perceived stigma, sudden death, sudden natural death, grief, shame, guilt, responsibility, young adults
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Bereavement, Cross-Sectional Studies, Death, Sudden, Family, Female, United Kingdom, Grief, Guilt, Humans, Male, Perception, Surveys and Questionnaires, Suicide, Young Adult, Social Stigma

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