Survivors’ perceptions of support following a parent’s suicide

Abstract

Children who experience a parent’s suicide are vulnerable to an increased risk for mental health disorders and suicide attempts. In this study, 17 adults, each a child survivor of their parent’s suicide, shared their perceptions of support following the suicide. Helpful experiences included opening communication about suicide and offering individualized support. Unhelpful experiences included judgment and blame, silence regarding suicide, and a heightened awareness of the surviving parent’s challenges. Individuals most helpful in meeting the child’s needs included those with preexisting relationships. In particular, our findings emphasize the critical need for honest, open, and age-appropriate communication about the parent’s suicide.