Understanding the complexity of suicide loss: PTSD, complex PTSD and prolonged grief disorder following suicide bereavement

Abstract

Suicide-bereaved individuals are often confronted with profound grief reactions and have an increased risk for mental health disorders. Little is known about the development of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) following a loss by suicide. This paper aims to assess the prevalence of CPTSD, PTSD, prolonged grief disorder (PGD), and depression as well as to identify sociodemographic and loss-related factors regarding their development. A total of 161 suicide loss survivors (91.3% female) completed a questionnaire, which collected symptoms of grief (TGI-SR+), PTSD, CPTSD (ITQ), and depression (PHQ-D). In total, 12.4% met the diagnosis for CPTSD, 5.0% for PTSD. A total of 22.0% fulfilled the diagnosis for PGD. 41.6% showed at least moderate symptoms of depression. Pearson’s correlation showed that time since loss was negatively associated with PG and PTSD symptoms, kinship to the deceased was associated with PG severity. The sample scored high on all disturbances in self-organization (DSO) symptom clusters typical for CPTSD. A focus on symptoms of CPTSD may be a necessary component in the care of survivors of suicide loss.

Acknowledgments

We thank all participants that supported us in our study.

Institutional review board statement

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Medical School Berlin (reference number: MSB-2023/117).

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.