Objective: Negative social responses that inhibit disclosure in the suicide bereaved may pose an obstacle to recovery. However, such social constraints have not been evaluated in this population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate extent, types, and correlates of social constraints in treatment-seeking community-based participants recently bereaved by suicide.
Method: This cross-sectional study investigated social constraints and adjustment in a treatment-seeking sample of community-based participants (N = 33) recently bereaved by suicide; pretreatment, baseline data from a graduate school-based research clinic were analyzed.
Results: Participants endorsed a moderate level of social constraints; subtle negative social responses appeared more common than overt negative reactions. Social constraints were unrelated to kinship with the deceased or to finding the body. Constraints were positively associated with depression (r = .54, p = .001) and posttraumatic stress (r = .43, p = .012).
Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of the interpersonal context of adjustment in suicide postvention. (PsycINFO Database Record
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