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BackgroundLosing an only child is a particularly traumatic and heartbreaking event for parents, which can trigger a lot of emotional responses, including PTSD and suicidal ideation (SI). The objectives of this study were mainly to identify predictors of SI and examine the interactions of PTSD with stigma and social support on SI among shidu parents.MethodsA total of 507 shidu parents from Shenyang, China were included in this cross-sectional study. Bivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore risk or protective factors associated with SI. Interactions of PTSD with stigma and social support on SI were also examined by bivariate logistic regression analyses.ResultsThe prevalence of SI among shidu parents was 11.24%. PTSD (OR = 2.23, p < 0.05) and stigma (OR = 4.66, p < 0.01) were positively associated with SI. Social support was negatively associated with SI (OR = 0.90, p < 0.01). For individuals with PTSD, the presence of stigma was more likely to lead to SI. For individuals with PTSD, an increased level of social support was less likely to lead to SI.ConclusionsSI is a serious issue among shidu parents. Stigma aggravated the effect of PTSD on SI, while social support buffered the effect of PTSD on SI among shidu parents.

Introduction Parents who have lost their only child and over the age of 60 are known as elderly shidu parents. This study aimed to investigate predictors of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) among Chinese elderly shidu parents. Methods Two hundred and ninety‐eight elderly shidu parents from Shenyang were included in this cross‐sectional study. Participants completed a questionnaire including the Prolonged Grief questionnaire‐13 (PG‐13), the PTSD (post‐traumatic stress disorder) Checklist for DSM‐5 (PCL‐5), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scales (CES‐D), the Self‐Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and the Perceived Stress Scale‐10 (PSS‐10). Multiple linear regression was used to examine socio‐demographic, bereavement‐related and perceived stress associated with PGD symptoms. Results The prevalence of PGD among Chinese elderly shidu parents was 13.8%. Among the 41 PGD patients, 29, 39, 36 patients had comorbidity of PTSD, depressive symptoms and anxiety, respectively. Perceived stress, higher educational level, lower annual household income, perceived stigma, violent death of the child, and being in debt were associated with severer PGD symptoms. Discussion The present study revealed the prevalence of PGD and the important role of PGD in diagnosing other mental disorders in Chinese elderly shidu parents. Providing financial help, eliminating social stigma, and stress should be included in PGD prevention among Chinese elderly shidu parents.