Conference Agenda

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is personal growth which occurs due to experiencing a traumatic or extremely challenging event or crisis. In this updated review, we aim to perform a contemporary search for demographic characteristics, correlational relationships, and facilitating as well as impeding factors of PTG in suicide bereaved individuals. Additionally, we aim to analyse and shed new light on inter- and intrapersonal (mal)adaptive factors in relation to PTG in individuals bereaved by suicide. Ten new studies from 2019 to 2024 were included after searching six databases. Combining these studies with the original review’s 11 studies meant 21 total studies were investigated (N = 4759 participants). A hierarchical meta-analysis examined impacts of demographic, loss-related, intrapersonal, and interpersonal variables on PTG. An extended analysis was also conducted to investigate intrapersonal and interpersonal (mal)adaptive factors’ effects on PTG. The original review’s findings were replicated showing consistent trends; time since loss, social support, and self-disclosure showed significant positive relationships with PTG. The extended analysis found intrapersonal and interpersonal adaptive factors to be significantly positively correlated to PTG while interpersonal maladaptive factors had a significant negative association with PTG. Interestingly, intrapersonal maladaptive factors showed no significant effect on PTG. This review highlights that implementing intrapersonal and interpersonal adaptive factors along with minimising maladaptive factors could significantly aid PTG development for individuals bereaved by suicide. This is still a new field of study, so further exploration of facilitating and impeding factors of PTG is warranted.

Children of parents who have died by suicide or attempted it present a two- to three-fold higher risk of both fatal and non-fatal suicidal behavior in their own lives. This phenomenon has been described with terms such as “suicide clusters” or “copycat suicides,” referring to the appearance of suicides within the same group or community. These terms, however, tend to obscure the psychic processes involved; numerical data alone offer a limited and ultimately unproductive approach to understanding the phenomenon and its complexities.

The deadly connotation carried by the notion of a “contagion effect” to describe psychic processes emerging in children after a parent’s suicide,has not been innocuous in its cultural imprint. The reiteration of these ambiguous and complex formulations has come to acquire the status of truth, carrying connotations that should today bear the weight of critiques of such designations preserving the premises of degeneration theory. It is therefore essential to study its formation, deformation, and the necessary conceptual rectification.

The aim of this study was to characterize the discourse of analysts who have worked with patients who experienced the death of a mother or father by suicide. A qualitative, hermeneutic–interpretive, multiple-case design was conducted. The sample consisted of eight psychoanalysts selected through snowball sampling. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews and analyzed through grounded theory.

The study delved into the phantasmatic organization of the family, contrasting different ideas regarding the transmissibility of suicide. A high prevalence of risk behaviors was highlighted. Interviewees suggested several ways to work with hypotheses concerning the repetition of suicide and its manifestations, as well as metapsychological distinctions regarding the identifications at play, without aiming for totalizing conclusions, given the incomplete and provisional character of the material—always situated in relation to risk and to the irreducible negativity of the phenomenon itself.

The main aim of my doctoral dissertation is to explore parental and family experiences of bereavement following the suicide of a child and to provide an in-depth, contextual understanding of how this loss reshapes family life. Despite growing international interest in suicide bereavement, there remains a scarcity of qualitative research focusing specifically on parents and family systems after a child’s suicide, particularly within the Polish context. Families affected by such loss often experience complex and socially mediated emotions, including guilt, shame, anger, and profound psychological pain, frequently intensified by stigma and social withdrawal. This study examines the specificity of suicide bereavement, parental coping mechanisms, and the impact of the loss on family structure, values, social relationships, and everyday functioning.

The research is conducted using in-depth biographical narrative interviews supported by a flexible interview guide that preserves participants’ narrative autonomy. The study population consists of adults who have experienced the suicide death of their child. To date, 15 interviews have been collected and subjected to qualitative analysis. The sample is predominantly composed of mothers who self-referred in response to recruitment efforts, with only two fathers participating, highlighting gendered patterns of help-seeking and engagement in suicide bereavement research. Further recruitment will continue until conceptual saturation is achieved.

Data are analysed within an interpretive and processual framework informed by Fritz Schütze’s biographical narrative analysis, with particular attention to narrative structure, biographical trajectories, and meaning-making processes. By identifying recurring patterns and turning points, the study aims to inform postvention practice. The findings are expected to support educators, social workers, healthcare professionals, therapists, and psychologists working with suicide-bereaved families, and to contribute to public education efforts aimed at reducing stigma and social exclusion.

Introduction

Understanding grief reactions of friends who have lost someone to suicide is essential for creating effective support strategies and interventions. This study aimed to understand the experiences and support needs of friends bereaved by suicide.

Method

We conducted secondary analysis of data from a survey of people bereaved by suicide in the UK. A total of 1,024 participants reported having lost a friend to suicide. Participants were invited to respond to seven open-ended text questions. Response rates varied across questions, with between 214 and 588 participants providing an answer to each. Qualitative analysis was undertaken using thematic analysis.

Results

Four themes were identified: closure and unanswered questions, guilt and responsibility; impact on the bereaved person’s mental health; social and relational changes, closeness and isolation; support systems and supporting others.

Conclusion

The impact of grief on people who lose a friend to suicide is under researched. This study highlights the necessity of recognising the impact of grief beyond immediate family members. There are unique aspects of friend relationships that may influence the grieving process. Although potentially difficult to identify, promoting awareness of bereavement support within communities following a suicide is needed. The study highlights the need for awareness and targeted postvention support which is accessible for all.

Suicide is a major public health concern in India, with 170,924 deaths reported in 2022 and a suicide rate of 12.4 per lakh population. Individuals who lose a loved one to suicide, known as suicide loss survivors, often experience significant psychological distress, including prolonged grief, guilt, stigma, social isolation, and trauma-related symptoms. These experiences increase their vulnerability to mental health problems and suicidal thoughts. Postvention refers to structured support services aimed at assisting individuals and families affected by suicide, with the dual purpose of reducing psychological distress and preventing further harm. The present study aims to develop a structured and culturally appropriate postvention framework for suicide loss survivors in India by identifying their psychosocial needs and designing a trauma-focused support module to facilitate healthy coping and psychological recovery. A qualitative study design was employed, using focus group discussions to explore the lived experiences, unmet needs, and barriers to accessing support among suicide-bereaved individuals. Participants were identified through post-mortem records of suicide cases autopsied at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Mortuary, New Delhi. Thirteen focus group discussions were conducted with 51 participants. Survivors commonly reported experiences of stigma, prolonged grief, loneliness, self-blame, and guilt, along with difficulties in accessing timely and appropriate support. Key challenges included limited mental health awareness, social stigma, and the absence of formal postvention services within the healthcare system. Most existing postvention models have been developed in Western contexts and may not adequately address the sociocultural factors influencing grief and help-seeking in India. Currently, there is no standardized postvention framework for suicide loss survivors in the Indian context. The development of a culturally sensitive, trauma-focused postvention model is therefore essential to support suicide-bereaved individuals and to strengthen comprehensive suicide prevention efforts in India.