Suicide Loss Survivors and Complicated Grief: Avoidance as a Mediator

Abstract

Suicide loss survivors (SLS) face unique challenges when compared to other bereavement types. They are at an increased risk for developing complicated grief (CG); i.e., a response to death that deviates significantly from normal experiences of grief. This may be due to the violent and traumatic nature of suicide, and the stigma that is associated with it. Moreover, avoidance can further complicate the grieving process, with heightened avoidance levels also being linked to SLS. The current study investigates the role of avoidance in the development of CG among SLS. Utilising data from the Measurement Archive of Reactions to Bereavement from Longitudinal European Studies (MARBLES) project, we analysed responses from 256 participants, comparing SLS to individuals who experienced non-traumatic, non-violent bereavement (illness duration <1 month). The Inventory of Complicated Grief-Revised (ICG-R) and the Measure of Avoidance Strategies (MAS) were used to assess CG and avoidance, respectively. Findings reveal that SLS report significantly higher levels of CG and avoidance compared to the control group. Furthermore, avoidance was identified as a significant mediator in the relationship between SLS and CG. These results highlight the importance of addressing avoidance behaviours in therapeutic interventions to alleviate CG symptoms among SLS. This study contributes to the limited research on the mechanisms underlying CG in SLS, highlighting the need for targeted support for this vulnerable population. Further implications and future research directions are discussed.