Writing projects: Lessening undergraduates' unique suicidal bereavement

Author(s): Range, L. M.

Journal/Book: Suicide Life Threaten Behav. 2000; 30: 72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012, USA. Guilford Publications Inc. 50-60.

Abstract: To assess if writing projects lessen undergraduates' grief following a loved one's suicide, 40 students whose loved one died by suicide in the past 2 years wrote on four occasions over 2 weeks about profound topics (e.g., events and emotions surrounding the death) or trivial topics (e.g., description of the previous meal). All participants completed pre- and posttest measures of grief and self-reported health visits, and 75% completed the same measures at 6-week mailed follow-up. As expected, individuals in the profound condition reported less grief associated with suicide at follow-up than those in the trivial condition. However, the trivial and profound groups were not significantly different in general grief or health visits. Writing about grief associated with the suicide of a loved one appeared to reduce suicidal grief associated with this event. However, this benefit did not extend to general grief or physical health.

Note: Article Kovac SH, Univ So Mississippi, Dept Psychol, Clin Psychol Program, Hattiesburg,MS 39406 USA

Keyword(s): EMOTIONAL DISCLOSURE; EVENT SCALE; TRAUMAS; SUPPORT; DEATHS; HEALTH; IMPACT; STRESS; CHILD

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