A support group intervention for children bereaved by parental suicide.
OBJECTIVE
Bereavement is considered by many to be among the most stressful of life events, and it becomes particularly distressing when it concerns the suicide death of a parent. Such an event is especially traumatic for children.
The purpose of this paper is to present a case for support group interventions designed specifically for child survivors of parental suicide. The authors provide a theoretical framework for supportive group interventions with these children and describe the structure of an 8-week bereavement support group for this special population of suicide survivors.


CONCLUSIONS
A case is made for designing and implementing group interventions to meet the mental health needs of this important group of individuals.
Mitchell
Ann M
AM
University of Pittsburgh, School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. ammi@pitt.edu
Wesner
Sue
S
Garand
Linda
L
Gale
Deborah Dysart
DD
Havill
Allyson
A
Brownson
Lynn
L
D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D002665:Child Psychiatry / Q000458:organization & administration; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012944:Social Support; D013405:Suicide