The Impact of Suicide Bereavement on Educational and Occupational Functioning: A Qualitative Study of 460 Bereaved Adults

Abstract

People bereaved by suicide are at an increased risk of suicide and of dropping out of education or work. Explanations for these associations are unclear, and more research is needed to understand how improving support in educational or work settings for people bereaved by suicide might contribute to reducing suicide risk. Our objective was to explore the impact of suicide on occupational functioning. We conducted a cross-sectional online study of bereaved adults aged 18–40, recruited from staff and students of British higher educational institutions in 2010. We used thematic analysis to analyse free text responses to two questions probing the impact of suicide bereavement on work and education. Our analysis of responses from 460 adults bereaved by suicide identified three main themes: (i) specific aspects of grief that impacted on work performance, cognitive and emotional domains, and social confidence; (ii) structural challenges in work or educational settings including a lack of institutional support, the impact of taking time off, and changes to caring roles; and (iii) new perspectives on the role of work, including determination to achieve. Institutional support should be tailored to take account of the difficulties and experiences described.

The Current Health and Wellbeing of the Survivors of the Rana Plaza Building Collapse in Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study

“…As a result of the psychological trauma experienced by the survivors, many reported ongoing thoughts of suicide and remain a potential risk of suicide in the future. Previous research supports the finding that traumatic events and symptoms of vulnerable psychological health such as depression, extreme grief, anxiety, and obstacles to leading a normal life, have the potential to lead to suicidal deaths [28,43,44,45]. This study further revealed that the Rana Plaza building lacked enough available safety exits and stairs, and the exits that were available were blocked by clothing materials limiting the number of people who could escape the building leading to an increase in loss of life.…”

The Perceived Impact of Suicide Bereavement on Specific Interpersonal Relationships: A Qualitative Study of Survey Data

“…The reasons for these associations are unclear but quantitative studies comparing scores on dimensions of grief find that people bereaved by suicide report higher scores on rejection, shame [8], and perceived stigma compared to those bereaved by other unnatural deaths [12]. Qualitative research also suggests that the social awkwardness of friends and colleagues contributes to difficulties with social and occupational functioning [11,13,14].…”

How suicide-bereaved family members experience the inquest process: a qualitative study using thematic analysis

“…Proactively seeking formal and informal support can also be hampered by physical and psychosomatic health manifestations of grief, including low energy, poor appetite and insomnia (Hoffmann, Myburgh, & Poggenpoel, 2010;McKinnon & Chonody, 2014). Previous research also indicates educational and employment functioning can be hampered due to lack of institutional support, poor concentration levels due to grief and socially withdrawing from others for fear of stigmatisation (Pitman, Khrisna Putri, et al, 2018).…”