Beyond Grief

Suicide loss and non-suicide loss impact thousands of people globally each year. Literature to
date has identified ways suicide-loss can impact individuals and families in unique ways but has
not indicated what specific aspects of family function are impacted for suicide-bereaved family
members. Further, it is unclear whether family members can turn to each other to provide and
receive support after their loss. The purpose of this study was to understand how suicide loss of
a family member impacts individuals when compared to suicide loss of a non-family member.
Additionally, this study aimed to understand how suicide loss of a family member impacts
family dynamics on specific levels of communication, affect expression, affect connection, and
general family functioning when compared to non-suicide family member loss. Perceived
familial support was predicted to moderate the relationship between type of loss and these family
function variables. Participants (N = 174) filled out 4 self-report measures that assessed family
function prior to their loss, grief experiences, family communication, affect expression, affect
connection, and family function after their loss. An independent samples t-test and a hierarchical
multiple regression with a moderation analysis were run to examine the relationships between
the predictor and outcome variables described above. When compared to individuals who
experienced a non-family member suicide loss, individuals who experienced family member
suicide loss reported more intense grief experiences (p = .03) but did not report significantly
different family function. When compared to non-suicide family member loss, individuals who