Death Studies最新文献

The loss of a close one is commonly construed as a painful experience and addressed predominantly in terms of its pathological aspects. However bereaved individuals may also experience psychological growth following loss. The present study examined the experience of loss from a multidimensional perspective, developing the Post‑Bereavement Growth Scale (PBGS). Participants, 335 adults aged 18-65 who experienced the death of a close one between 3 and 24 months prior, answered the questions online. Additionally, as part of the validity analyses, they also completed measures of personal development and meaninglessness-emptiness. For reliability analyses, 30 participants completed the PBGS twice, 4 weeks apart. The psychometric evaluation of the PBGS yielded a 26‑item, five‑factor structure. Subscales were Functioning, Personal Resources, Relational Coping, Making Sense of Life, and Adaptation. The findings indicated that the PBGS possesses satisfactory validity and reliability.

Suicide remains a serious public health problem in Kazakhstan, where high suicide rates and limited mental-health resources are exacerbated by strong social stigma. This study aimed to culturally adapt and validate the Stigma of Suicide Scale-Short Form (SOSS-SF) in Kazakh and Russian. The adaptation was conducted within a quantitative research design, with culturally sensitive translation and psychometric validation. Following international guidelines, the translated and adapted scale was administered to two adult samples (n = 722, Russian; n = 644, Kazakh). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed a stable three-factor structure: Stigmatization, Isolation/Depression, and Glorification/Normalization. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's α = 0.72-0.88). Cultural differences included the item "an embarrassment" loading onto the Isolation/Depression factor and the exclusion of "dedicated" in the Kazakh version. Both versions demonstrated strong psychometric performance and are the first validated tools for assessing suicide stigma in Kazakhstan.

Given that parental psychological control is a critical risk factor for suicidality, its underlying psychological mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the influence and mechanism of parental psychological control on suicidality among college students and establish a full model of interactive factors. In total, 945 college students were surveyed using the Parental Psychological Control Questionnaire, Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts Questionnaire, Perceived Invalidation of Emotion Scale (PIES), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Results indicated that perceived emotional invalidation and depressive symptoms served as sequential mediators between parental psychological control and suicidality (suicidal ideation and suicide attempts). Mindfulness also moderates the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicidality. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the systemic effects of negative family factors on suicidality.

Literature exploring impacts of parental death on young people demonstrates profound effects both individually, and within the family system. Family roles and responsibilities may change for all, with potential additive impacts of socio-economic status (SES), but these are presently under-explored. The present study therefore aims to address this knowledge gap. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight Black adolescents aged 16-18 years, identified as having low SES. Data were analyzed verbatim using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Five themes were developed, each containing further subthemes: (1) They should be here, (2) The weight of grief, (3) Redefining family and finances, (4) Navigating external support and (5) Moving forward from loss. The findings demonstrate unique experiences and challenges faced by Black adolescents from low SES groupings following parental death, identifying both its profound emotional impacts and its wider systemic effects on familial roles, financial stability and access to supports.

This qualitative study explored how financial instability and insecure employment contribute to suicidal thoughts and behaviors among adults living in Scotland. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 individuals who had experienced financial hardship, insecure employment, and suicidality. Reflexive thematic analysis identified key themes, highlighting how financial stressors create a cycle of unmet basic needs, powerlessness, and social isolation, which exacerbates suicidal distress. Workplace conditions including job precarity and lack of support, further intensified these experiences, while protective factors included supportive relationships and proactive help-seeking. A co-creation workshop with participants and stakeholders informed the study's recommendations, emphasizing the urgent need for strengthened employment protections, fair pay, and improved access to mental health services. The findings support emerging research on the role of employment quality in shaping mental health and suicide risk, demonstrating the need for integrated policy responses that address both workplace conditions and broader socio-economic determinants of mental health.

Sibling relationships, often the longest in a person's life, carry deep emotional bonds, making their loss complex yet underrepresented in grief literature. This interpretive, meta-ethnographic qualitative synthesis explored adult sibling bereavement due to illness or accident, analyzing 10 English-language studies (2003-2024) using Noblit and Hare's (1988) protocol. Three meta-themes were developed: (1) Death's Ripple Effect, (2) The Space Between Grief and Healing, and (3) Navigating a New Reality. This paper highlights the unique challenges faced by surviving siblings-such as their fractured parallel life, role substitution, and identity disruption-and emphasizes the need for bereavement support that is specifically tailored to these dynamics. The authors recommend that program design is informed by research evidence that shows the importance of age as well as identity-focused and role-sensitive approaches. Existing bereavement interventions are effective but lack specificity, especially for sibling loss, highlighting the need for more targeted and evidenced support.

Bereavement represents a significant public health concern due to rising mortality rates in the United States. Little is known about the availability and distribution of bereavement services at the state and local level, hindering efforts to assess how well these services address community needs. This cross-sectional study analyzed bereavement agencies across Michigan's 83 counties, examining services and the relationship between mortality rates and service availability. Findings reveal geographic disparities, with urban counties often lacking adequate bereavement services despite high mortality rates, while rural counties demonstrate limited services and significant variation in accessibility. Many agencies provide generalized support, which may not address the diverse needs of grieving individuals based on age, cultural background, or type of loss. These disparities underscore the concept of "bereavement service deserts," defined as areas with disproportionately high mortality rates compared to the availability of bereavement services. Expanding services requires equitable resource distribution and sustainable tailored interventions.

People from Black and other minoritized ethnic communities are known to experience health and social care inequities, including barriers to accessing bereavement support. However, bereavement experiences and support needs in different population groups are poorly understood. This qualitative, co-produced study aimed to explore experiences of grief and bereavement among people of Black British and Black Caribbean heritage in England. Through community conversations and interviews with 35 participants, the study illuminates how structural inequities, cultural norms, and systemic racism intersect to shape grief experiences. Participants highlighted the importance of extended family and community in grief, which often clashed with the individualistic norms of white British society. Cultural customs that discouraged emotional expression made grieving harder, while rituals like Nine-Night and storytelling provided crucial communal support. Findings inform evidence-based recommendations for systemic reforms and community-level action to help improve experiences among Black British and Black Caribbean bereaved people in England.

Parental bereavement has both intrapersonal and interpersonal effects. Although gender differences in grief are acknowledged, the ways in which fathers experience the grief process after the loss of a child have been largely neglected. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of fathers' grief processes and the psychological impacts of bereavement while also comparing study methodologies. The CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases were searched with relevant keywords in December 2023 and 18 studies (9 quantitative, 8 qualitative, and 1 mixed) were identified. The findings predominantly demonstrate that while fathers may appear less affected than mothers, their grief processes may endure for extended periods. Fathers often use maladaptive coping strategies, leading to psychological disorders such as depression and PTSD. Interpreted through the lens of the Dual Process Model, these results highlight the significant psychological impact of child loss on fathers.