IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i21p11384-d667918.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Very Young Child Survivors’ Perceptions of Their Father’s Suicide: Exploring Bibliotherapy as Postvention Support

Author

Listed:
  • Cortland Watson

    (Maricopa Unified School District 1, 44150 W Maricopa-Casa Grande Hwy, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA)

  • Elizabeth A. Cutrer-Párraga

    (Counseling Psychology and Special Education, 340 MCKB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA)

  • Melissa Heath

    (Counseling Psychology and Special Education, 340 MCKB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA)

  • Erica E. Miller

    (BYU-Marriott School of Business, N. Eldon Tanner Building (TNRB) Campus, Provo, UT 84602, USA)

  • Terrell A. Young

    (Teacher Education, 205 F, McKay School of Education, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA)

  • Suzanne Wilson

    (Davis School District, 45 E. State St., P.O. Box 588, Farmington, UT 84025, USA)

Abstract

Each year in the United States, 7000 to 30,000 children experience their parent’s suicide. Due to the stigma associated with suicide, feelings of guilt, and intense grief, surviving family members avoid talking about suicide. Over time, children struggle with confusion and intense emotions associated with their parent’s suicide. In this study, seven adults, who reported being younger than six years old at the time of their father’s suicide, participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Participants’ responses highlight the challenges that young children face due to limited memories of their deceased parent. Interviews concluded with an opportunity for participants to review and express their impressions of 10 children’s picture books. Participants offered impressions about how these books may or may not be helpful in supporting young child survivors. Implications for applied practice include considering how children’s literature may open communication and assist children in navigating Worden’s tasks of grief: (a) accepting the reality of their parent’s death; (b) facing the grief and pain; (c) adapting to life changes due to their father’s suicide, in particular adapting to altered family relationships; and (d) building memories of the deceased loved one, when possible, to ensure healthy attachment to the deceased parent. Participants’ insights provide considerations for selecting children’s literature for bibliotherapy. Due to young child survivors’ increased risk for attempting and completing suicide, supporting child survivors of parent suicide not only addresses postvention needs but aligns with suicide prevention.

Suggested Citation

  • Cortland Watson & Elizabeth A. Cutrer-Párraga & Melissa Heath & Erica E. Miller & Terrell A. Young & Suzanne Wilson, 2021. "Very Young Child Survivors’ Perceptions of Their Father’s Suicide: Exploring Bibliotherapy as Postvention Support," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-24, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:21:p:11384-:d:667918
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/21/11384/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/21/11384/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hans-Gerd Ridder, 2017. "The theory contribution of case study research designs," Business Research, Springer;German Academic Association for Business Research, vol. 10(2), pages 281-305, October.
    2. Eckersley, Richard & Dear, Keith, 2002. "Cultural correlates of youth suicide," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 55(11), pages 1891-1904, December.
    3. Ayako Hiyoshi & Lisa Berg & Alessandra Grotta & Ylva Almquist & Mikael Rostila, 2021. "Parental death in childhood and pathways to increased mortality across the life course in Stockholm, Sweden: A cohort study," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(3), pages 1-16, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Liang Choon Wang, 2016. "The effect of high-stakes testing on suicidal ideation of teenagers with reference-dependent preferences," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 29(2), pages 345-364, April.
    2. Christoph Friedrich & Daniel Feser, 2024. "Combining knowledge bases for small wins in peripheral regions. An analysis of the role of innovation intermediaries in sustainability transitions," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 44(2), pages 211-236, June.
    3. Anastasia Christodoulou & Kevin Cullinane, 0. "Potential for, and drivers of, private voluntary initiatives for the decarbonisation of short sea shipping: evidence from a Swedish ferry line," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 0, pages 1-23.
    4. Anastasia Christodoulou & Kevin Cullinane, 2021. "Potential for, and drivers of, private voluntary initiatives for the decarbonisation of short sea shipping: evidence from a Swedish ferry line," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 23(4), pages 632-654, December.
    5. Lehlohonolo Kurata & Mampota Selialia & Reitumetse Lipholo & Lineo Mareka, 2024. "Exploring the Impact of Absent Fathers on Children: Lived Experiences of Students in Two Secondary Schools in the Leri be District, Lesotho," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(12), pages 4530-4547, December.
    6. repec:mgs:iojome:v:3:y:2023:i:1:p:17-48 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Katharina Spraul & Julia Thaler, 2020. "Partnering for good? An analysis of how to achieve sustainability-related outcomes in public–private partnerships," Business Research, Springer;German Academic Association for Business Research, vol. 13(2), pages 485-511, July.
    8. Engwall, Mats & Kaulio, Matti & Karakaya, Emrah & Miterev, Maxim & Berlin, Daniel, 2021. "Experimental networks for business model innovation: A way for incumbents to navigate sustainability transitions?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    9. Erik G. Hansen & Ferdinand Revellio, 2020. "Circular value creation architectures: Make, ally, buy, or laissez‐faire," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(6), pages 1250-1273, December.
    10. Boris Otto & Matthias Jarke, 2019. "Designing a multi-sided data platform: findings from the International Data Spaces case," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 29(4), pages 561-580, December.
    11. Krzywdzinski, Martin & Butollo, Florian, 2022. "Combining Experiential Knowledge and Artificial Intelligence. The Digital Transformation of a Traditional Machine-Building Company," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 33(2), pages 161-184.
    12. Felix Glaser & Rene Wiesinger, 2025. "Life after loss: the causal effect of parental death on daughters’ fertility," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 38(1), pages 1-40, March.
    13. Elisa Martina Martinelli & Maria Cristina Farioli & Annalisa Tunisini, 2021. "New companies’ DNA: the heritage of the past industrial revolutions in digital transformation," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 25(4), pages 1079-1106, December.
    14. Murni Zarina Mohamed Razali & Rossilah Jamil, 2023. "Sustainability Learning in Organizations: Integrated Model of Learning Approaches and Contextual Factors," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, February.
    15. Robert Suurmond & Larry J. Menor & Finn Wynstra, 2022. "Examining service triad operations: Formation, functioning, and feedback exchanges," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(8), pages 3352-3370, August.
    16. Andrejs Čirjevskis, 2021. "Exploring the Link of Real Options Theory with Dynamic Capabilities Framework in Open Innovation-Type Merger and Acquisition Deals," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-16, April.
    17. Marianna d’Ovidio, 2021. "Ethics at work: Diverse economies and place-making in the historical centre of Taranto, Italy," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 58(11), pages 2276-2292, August.
    18. McMahon, Elaine M. & Reulbach, Udo & Keeley, Helen & Perry, Ivan J. & Arensman, Ella, 2010. "Bullying victimisation, self harm and associated factors in Irish adolescent boys," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(7), pages 1300-1307, October.
    19. Roberto Dell'Anno & Adalgiso Amendola, 2015. "Social Exclusion and Economic Growth: An Empirical Investigation in European Economies," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 61(2), pages 274-301, June.
    20. Song, Hua & Liu, Wenyi & Yu, Kangkang & Han, Mengwei, 2024. "Trusting the trust machine: How does blockchain-enabled governance configuration enhance financing credibility?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    21. Kahui, Viktoria & Armstrong, Claire W. & Aanesen, Margrethe, 2024. "Comparative analysis of Rights of Nature (RoN) case studies worldwide: Features of emergence and design," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:21:p:11384-:d:667918. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.