The Importance of Understanding 'Why' a Child Died by Suicide: Reflections on Recovery from Parents' Meaning-making Narratives

Abstract

Suicide has occurred throughout recorded history, yet in the latter decades of the twentieth century suicide deaths among young people began to rise to alarming rates across the Western world. Many governments have responded by implementing suicide prevention strategies aimed specifically at young people. However, young people still die by suicide in unacceptable numbers. Vital attention has been paid to planning, policy and services endeavoring to prevent suicide death among young people. Yet less consideration has been paid to those left behind, with the needs of the parents, families and communities bereaved through suicide remaining poorly understood. This presentation will describe the results from a qualitative study that examined the experience of parents bereaved through the suicide death of a young adult child. Specifically, the role of meaning making and ongoing connections with the deceased child will be explored with an emphasis on the importance of understanding why the child chose to die in assisting long term recovery.