The DOI matches its Crossref record; 26 of the 27 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Interventions for people bereaved through suicide: systematic review
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Promoting the mental health of people bereaved through suicide is a key aim of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. AIMS: To evaluate the effects of interventions to support people bereaved through suicide. METHOD: We conducted a systematic review of data from controlled studies of interventions for people bereaved through suicide. Studies were identified using systematic searches, the methodological quality of included studies was assessed and narrative synthesis conducted. RESULTS: Eight studies were identified. None was UK-based and all but one study had substantial methodological limitations. When compared with no intervention, there was evidence of some benefit from single studies of a cognitive-behavioural family intervention of four sessions with a psychiatric nurse; a psychologist-led 10-week bereavement group intervention for children; and 8-week group therapy for adults delivered by a mental health professional and volunteer. The findings from studies comparing two or more active interventions were more equivocal. CONCLUSIONS: Although there is evidence of some benefit from interventions for people bereaved by suicide, this is not robust. Further methodologically sound evidence is required to confirm whether interventions are helpful and, if so, for whom.
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“Suicide prevention strategies in many high-income countries recommend providision of support for people bereaved by suicide, in view of their suicide risk (Pitman et al., 2014), but lack an evidence base for intervening (McDaid et al., 2008).”
From The stigma associated with bereavement by suicide and other sudden deaths: A qualitative interview study (2018) · cites this paper as McDaid et al., 2008
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“This dovetails with intervention evidence suggesting potential benefits of group-based and psychosocial approaches for some suicide-bereaved individuals, while also highlighting that the overall evidence base remains heterogeneous and methodologically uneven (Linde et al., 2017;McDaid et al., 2008).”
From Relational and Institutional Disenfranchisement in Suicide Bereavement: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis of Family Members' Experiences (2026) · cites this paper as McDaid et al., 2008
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“While little is known of the effectiveness of postvention, this review aimed to investigate what is known of the effects of postvention service delivery models and the components that may contribute to the effectiveness.”
From Suicide Postvention Service Models and Guidelines 2014–2019: A Systematic Review (2019) · cites this paper as McDaid et al., 2008
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“Overall, there is a tension between the need for psychosocial services for people bereaved by suicide (Sanford et al., 2016; Pitman et al., 2018) and what is known about their effectiveness (McDaid et al., 2008; Szumilas and Kutcher, 2011; Linde et al., 2017).”
From Suicide Postvention Service Models and Guidelines 2014–2019: A Systematic Review (2019) · cites this paper as McDaid et al., 2008
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“However, little is known about its effectiveness.”
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“The three systematic reviews conducted to-date found some evidence of effectiveness of postvention interventions [24–26].”
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“They also pointed out the limitations of the field, namely the paucity of intervention research in postvention, the diversity of methodologies used, and the general poor quality of the relevant studies.”
In the citing paper
“The next challenges are the paucity of trial evidence for effective interventions7 and the tendency of people bereaved by suicide to avoid seeking help8 9 despite expressing clear unmet needs.10”
From Support received after bereavement by suicide and other sudden deaths: A cross-sectional UK study of 3432 young bereaved adults (2017) · cites this paper as [7]
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Citations
Cites
Evaluating non-randomised intervention studies
Deeks, J., Dinnes, J., D'Amico, R., Sowden, A., Sakarovitch, C., Song, F., Petticrew, M., & Altman, D. (2003) · Health Technology Assessment · doi:10.3310/hta7270 · Cited by 2,907
Self-citationThe International Handbook of Suicide and Attempted Suicide
(2000) · doi:10.1002/9780470698976 · Cited by 819
Book Review: The International Handbook of Suicide and Attempted Suicide
Rosenman, S. J. (2001) · Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1046/j.1440-1614.2001.0949k.x · Cited by 429
The National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England
Duffy, D. F., & Foster, K. (2003) · Mental Health Review Journal · doi:10.1108/13619322200300036 · Cited by 346
Zhang, B., El-Jawahri, A. R., & Prigerson, H. G. (2006) · Journal of Palliative Medicine · doi:10.1089/jpm.2006.9.1188 · Cited by 315
Juvenile Mental Health Histories of Adults With Anxiety Disorders
Gregory, A. M., Caspi, A., Moffitt, T. E., Koenen, K. C., Eley, T. C., & Poulton, R. (2007) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.2007.164.2.301 · Cited by 247
Grief work, disclosure and counseling: Do they help the bereaved?
Stroebe, W., Schut, H. A. W., & Stroebe, M. (2005) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2005.01.004 · Cited by 230
Miller, M. W., Kaloupek, D. G., Dillon, A. L., & Keane, T. M. (2004) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-843x.113.4.636 · Cited by 212
Effectiveness of grief therapy: A meta-analysis.
Allumbaugh, D. L., & Hoyt, W. T. (1999) · Journal of Counseling Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-0167.46.3.370 · Cited by 185
Arai, L., Britten, N., Popay, J., Roberts, H., Petticrew, M., Rodgers, M., & Sowden, A. (2007) · Evidence & Policy: A Journal of Research, Debate and Practice · doi:10.1332/174426407781738029 · Cited by 177
Flagged first, then by citations
1 of the 27 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Research works printed but not linked: 6
- Seguin, 2004, Evaluation de programmes de postvention [Evaluation of four suicide bereavement programs], Rev Fr Psychiat Psychol Med, 8, 17
- 2003, Dictionary for the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies.
- Popay, 2005, Developing guidance on the conduct of narrative synthesis in systematic reviews, J Epidemiol Community Health, 59, A7
- 2001, Undertaking Systematic Reviews of Research on Effectiveness: CRD Guidelines For Those Carrying Out or Commissioning Reviews
- 2006, Mental Health: Suicide Prevention (SUPRE).
- 2006, National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England: Annual Report on Progress 2005
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Items 101–108 of 108
Insights in Public Mental Health: 2022
Wulf Rössler, A. (2024) · Frontiers research topics · doi:10.3389/978-2-8325-4490-7
Additional file 4 of Factors associated with suicide in people who use drugs: a scoping review
Devin, J. E., Lyons, S., Murphy, L., O’Sullivan, M., & Lynn, E. C. (2023) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.24091834
Supporting Adolescents Bereaved by Sibling Suicide: A Review of Needs, Gaps, and Opportunities
Danzo, S., Anan, Y., Kidd, K. M., Sequeira, G. M., & Kahn, N. F. (2025) · Current Pediatrics Reports · doi:10.1007/s40124-025-00363-9
“…- atic reviews and meta-analyses examining the effectiveness of interventions for people who have lost someone to suicide highlight several methodological challenges and limitations to assessing the effectiveness of the limited number of sui - cide bereavement interventions that exist [34, 35].”
Additional file 1 of Factors associated with suicide in people who use drugs: a scoping review
Devin, J. E., Lyons, S., Murphy, L., O’Sullivan, M., & Lynn, E. (2023) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.24091813
Additional file 2 of Factors associated with suicide in people who use drugs: a scoping review
Devin, J. E., Lyons, S., Murphy, L., O’Sullivan, M., & Lynn, E. (2023) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.24091828
Additional file 3 of Factors associated with suicide in people who use drugs: a scoping review
Devin, J. E., Lyons, S., Murphy, L., O’Sullivan, M., & Lynn, E. (2023) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.24091831
Roshini, C., Baruah, M., Manohar, H., Thomas, B., & Sudhir, P. M. (2026) · Psychology and Psychotherapy Theory Research and Practice · doi:10.1111/papt.70045
“While systems and avenues are available, there is a strong need for research grounded in the perspectives of individuals with lived experience regarding the sensitivity and relevance of available postvention support (Andriessen et al., 2019; Cerel et al., 2009; McDaid et al., 2008).”
Schneider, B., Lindner, R., & Sperling, U. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-44012-4_9
Metadata
- Authors
- McDaid, C., Trowman, R., Golder, S., Hawton, K., & Sowden, A.
- Affiliations
- University of York (GB)
- Warneford Hospital (GB)
- Corresponding author
- McDaid, Catriona
- Venue
- British Journal of Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Published
- 2008-12
- Volume
- 193
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 438-443
- ISSN
- 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
- 1472-1465
- OpenAlex
- W1966368779
- Cited by
- 107
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 0.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- 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, bereavement interventions, grief after suicide, family intervention, cognitive behavioral therapy, mental health support
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Bereavement, Child, Depressive Disorder, Humans, Suicide, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
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