Abstract: This study investigated the applicability of 3 models of resiliency for the prediction of suicidal ideation from depression (the risk factor) and social support and sense of belonging (the protective factors). A sample of 99 Australian men farmers completed measures of depression, suicidal ideas, social support, and sense of belonging. Sense of belonging compensated for high levels of depression, and social support, sense of belonging, and an increasing number of protective factors each weakened the depression-suicidal ideation relation. The findings are limited because of the small sample and reliance on self-report measures, but suggest that increasing social support and sense of belonging may benefit the mental health of men farmers.

Abstract: This study examined the impact of attachment on grief severity following the death of a pet. Seventy-one participants who had lost a dog or cat within the past year completed a set of measures that included an attachment measure assessing individual differences in attachment anxiety and avoidance, strength of the past attachment to the pet, the continuing bond with the deceased pet, social support, and complicated grief symptoms. Attachment anxiety and strength of the past attachment to the pet were each uniquely predictive of more severe grief. Furthermore, the continuing bond to the deceased pet partially mediated the impact of strength of the past attachment to the pet on grief severity. No significant mediators of the effect of attachment anxiety on grief were found, however. The results highlight the importance of distinguishing strength of attachment from attachment security in examining the effect of attachment on response to pet loss.

Abstract: Although deemed vital to patient well-being, hope in persons who are terminally ill is often thought to be problematic, particularly when centered on cure. As part of a study on end-of-life decision-making, we asked 28 patients with cancer, believed to be within weeks of their death, to talk about hope. Responses were transcribed and discursively analyzed, with 3 versions of hope, each of which connected hope and life, identified--hope as essential to, and for, life; hope, life, death, and others; and, hope/s changing during (or in) life. Hope for cure was common. Rather than death-denying, patients' hope appeared life-affirming, functioning to value patients, their lives, and connections with others.

Abstract: The experience of bereavement by parental suicide is not well understood, as evidenced by the lack of empirically supported interventions for this underserved population This article reviews quantitative and qualitative research on the psychopathological outcomes and thematic characteristics of childhood and adolescent suicide survivorship and moderating variables such as life stressors, stigma, the manner of communication about the suicide, and the surviving parent's functioning The authors outline several approaches to intervention and address conceptual and methodological challenges within the field With the ultimate goal of efficacious intervention, recommendations for future priorities and the use of unconventional research methods are offered

Abstract: Research and anecdotal evidence suggests that coming to terms with the suicide of a patient can be extremely distressing for front-line professionals. Some research also suggests that exposure to such situations can undermine professionals' functioning and feelings of competence, cause them to question their professional standing and ultimately contribute to burnout. A survey of 447 front-line professionals' experiences of patient suicide was undertaken to further explore these issues. Thematic analysis of open-ended questionnaire items revealed that concerns for the bereaved family, feelings of responsibility for the death and having a close therapeutic relationship with the client are key factors that influence the adjustment and coping of a health professional in the aftermath of the death of a client by suicide. The results are discussed with a focus on the impact of suicide on front-line staff, the need for ongoing support and training and the development of specific post-suicide protocols.

Abstract: Among 180 Turkish university students, the probability of suicide was strongly predicted by both hopelessness and deficiencies in problem solving. In addition, for women, unhealthy attachment styles (preoccupied and dismissing) also predicted suicidality. The clinical implications of these findings are that psychotherapists should focus on helping suicidal adolescents improve their problem solving skills and decreasing their hopelessness and, for women, assisting them to develop healthier relationship styles.

Abstract: Theoretical arguments and empirical evidence demonstrate the limited utility of a narrow construction of “normal” grief. Sudden and violent death, the young age of the deceased, and perceptions of death preventability are associated with grief reactions that extend beyond an expected grief response. Interviews were conducted with 21 adults bereaved through the death of a family member in a traffic crash. We present their attempts to resist notions of “working through” grief and “recovery” from it and consider how the participants' constructions of an alternative discourse, or normative narrative, possess the potential to challenge a prevailing grief discourse.

Abstract: This study considered the nature of continuing bonds with deceased relatives in a sample of Pakistani Muslims living in the United Kingdom. Ten participants were interviewed following a cultural psychology approach and transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Dreaming, talking with others about the deceased, following the deceased's example, keeping memories and mementos, and doing actions thought to help the deceased were forms of continued relationship found. These were intertwined with the process of grieving and were influenced by the family, culture, and religion. Religion was a strong influence on the prominence given by participants to finishing well and on the notion of doing actions thought to help the deceased. Cultural mores, such as the community, and collectivist ethos and the expectation that emotion would be expressed around the time of death, were found to be supportive for some but sources of tension for other participants. Expressing a continuing bond through following the deceased's example so as to make them proud or happy seemed to be reinforced by cultural roots in respect for elders. Participants gave instances of tensions in areas such as expression of emotion and communality versus individualism that arose as a result of their position between two cultural frameworks, some illustrating how assimilation into the host culture set up conflict with the expected norms of their family/ancestral culture. The study highlights how understanding different cultural and religious influences may enrich the concept of continuing bonds.

Abstract: How people respond at work may have a critical part to play in how bereaved or terminally ill colleagues manage their grief and their lives. Although counselors, human resources, occupational health staff, and others may have an important back-up role to play, pivotal support needs to come from line managers, colleagues, and, where they exist, trade union or other staff representatives. If bereavement is seen exclusively as a specialist area, managers and others can be discouraged and feel disabled from intelligently supporting the staff with whom they work. Alternatively it can be a reason for ignoring the issue. A workplace culture is needed where people are inspired and empowered to be human and humane for the sake of the motivation and indirectly the effectiveness of the people who work there.

Abstract: This study administered an open-ended questionnaire about death and the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale (MFODS) to explore the relationships between personal constructs about death and fears of death among Taiwanese adolescents. The sample included 329 adolescents in junior and senior high school grades 7 to 12. A coding manual was used to conduct content analysis of death constructs in paragraphs about death written by respondents, and the MFODS was used to measure fear of death. The results revealed that concepts and fears about death differed significantly according to grade, gender, religion, death-related experiences, and death-related discussions in the family. Constructs regarding negative emotional states, as well as low levels of attachment, emerged as significant predictors of the seven MFODS subscales. Generalization of these results to other populations merits further investigation.

Abstract: Research has consistently reported that social support from family, friends, and colleagues is an important factor in the bereaved person's ability to cope after the loss of a loved one. This study used a Theory of Planned Behavior framework to identify those factors that predict a person's intention to interact with, and support, a grieving person. Questionnaire data from 160 university students showed that together behavioral, normative, and control beliefs and past behavior significantly predicted intention after controlling for gender and past experience. Behavioral beliefs, followed by control beliefs and past behavior, were the most important predictors of intention to support a grieving person.

Abstract: The certainty of facing death and bereavement and the complex personal and societal issues involved argue for the importance of death education. The current study addresses a gap in knowledge by beginning to assess the extent of dying, death, and bereavement (DD&B) course offerings by U.S. psychology departments. This article reports on data collected from an initial survey of psychology departments in nine Midwestern states. Approximately 20% of respondents have offered a DD&B course in the last 5 years. Reasons for lack of DD&B courses include faculty and curriculum issues, as well as DD&B topics being covered elsewhere. These issues are discussed, and data are compared with DD&B course coverage in health-related fields.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate how caregivers respond to the end stages of dementia with the assistance from hospice Data were collected from 27 family caregivers over the course of 10 months, with each caregiver being interviewed up to 4 times during the time that the patient received hospice care Chart review data were also collected Four distinct caregiver portraits emerged: (a) disengaged, (b) questioning, (c) all-consumed, and (d) reconciled Caregivers in each portrait differed in how they responded to the impending death of the care recipient, the disease progression, and hospice care Recognizing the differences in the ways that caregivers respond to the final stages of the disease will assist hospice and other providers in best meeting the needs of the caregivers

Abstract: Hospice care is available for 6 months before death but the length of use varies widely, suggesting that there are different perspectives on the appropriate timing for this transition. This qualitative study explored hospice professionals' views on the appropriate timing for and communication about hospice. Ethnography of team meetings informed the development of questions for focus groups and written follow-up surveys with 53 hospice professionals. Results suggest timely admissions are situation-specific and involve a terminal prognosis, terminal decline, and a mutual understanding. Important aspects of communication among families, physicians, and hospice teams are described.

Abstract: Heavy alcohol consumption is prevalent on many college campuses and alcohol use has been linked to suicidal behavior. The present study examined reasons for living in 287 college students with varying levels of risk for alcohol-related problems. With the exception of the moral objections subscale of the Reasons for Living Inventory, significant relationships were not detected between alcohol use risk levels and reasons for living. The field is ripe for additional studies examining alcohol use and suicide in the college population, and results will likely lead to improved interventions to decrease the occurrence of suicidal behaviors.

Abstract: The interview study described here aimed to explore current views of and practice in bereavement care and identify priorities for service development in Scotland. Fifty-nine participants who worked with the bereaved in some way, or whose interest was in bereavement or bereavement care, were interviewed. They represented National Health Service organizations, chaplaincy departments, educational institutions, academic departments, voluntary groups, and other related bodies, such as funeral directors. Transcripts were read repeatedly and initial emerging themes were identified, coded and shared between research team members to reach a consensus for key themes. Priority areas for development were related to raising public awareness, coordination of services, guidance, and professional education.

Abstract: The loss of a baby is always hard to cope with and the grieving process is likely to be difficult. Interventions to work with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) families have improved grieving outcomes for many but the needs of Maori fathers are not well understood or catered to by existing services. This article presents narrative data from Maori fathers who have lost a baby to SIDS and analyzes these narratives in the context of the literature and of traditional Maori constructs about grief. The authors document a rarely discussed Maori concept, "the attainment of mauri tau," as the desired outcome of the grieving process; and begin a discussion around the changing face of the Maori grieving process and its implications for the grieving practices of Maori men.

Abstract: Suicide notes have been regarded as one of the most informative data sources to understand the reasons why people commit suicide. However, there is a paucity of suicide note studies, leaving researchers with an assumption that this phenomenon remains static over time. This study examines this assumption by comparing the characteristics of note-leavers of the same population at 2 different points in time. The authors investigated the characteristics of 316 note-leavers in 2000 in Hong Kong and compared them to note-leavers in 1992. The proportion of people who left suicide notes increased from 20% to 35% between 1992 and 2000, a change that may be related to changes in suicide methods. Note-leavers in 2000 were characterized as individuals aged 25–59 years old, employed, with no physical illness, no psychiatric illness, and died as a result of charcoal-burning. Present data suggest that reasons for leaving suicide notes may have changed over the 8 years from 1992 to 2000.

Abstract: As one component of an ongoing project to develop resources for bereaved children and families, funeral directors were surveyed about their experiences and practices with bereaved children. About one-third of respondents reported that they provided services specifically for bereaved children. Of these, some were proactive (reaching out to provide services) whereas others were reactive (responding only when information or services were requested). Many of the participant funeral directors found that families mediated children's involvement or experiences. Often, the parents were perceived as an impediment to optimal experiences for the child. Many funeral directors who did not provide services described being encumbered by a lack of resources, or they perceived that other individuals or organizations in the community were filling that need.

Abstract: For many people, names have symbolic power that extends to their timing of death. This study examined the relationship between the symbolic significance of the first letters in the names of professional athletes (baseball, football, hockey, and basketball) and their longevity. A similar analysis was performed for doctors (radiologists, dermatologists, obstetricians/gynecologists) and lawyers for comparison purposes. There was a progressive decrease in longevity associated with names beginning with A to D when all athletes were combined. In each sport, athletes whose first names began with the letter D lived fewer years than those whose names collectively began with E to Z. Doctors and lawyers whose first names began with D also died earlier than those whose names began with E to Z but differences were not statistically significant. A Cox-regression survival analysis for athletes comparing those with names beginning with A, B, C and D vs. E to Z indicated that only those whose names began with D (median su...

Abstract: A sample of 196 participants (mean age 45.94 years, 54% women) completed inventories assessing upward and downward positive and negative social comparisons and general well-being. Widows and widowers were higher on upward negative comparisons than divorced or married persons while being lower on well-being measures of life satisfaction and psychosocial adjustment. The divorced were higher than the widowed or married people on upward or downward positive social comparisons. Upward negative social comparisons were associated with lower levels of well-being measures whereas upward positive social comparisons showed an opposite tendency. Upward negative comparisons were found to mediate the effects of widowhood on well-being. It is concluded that cognitive adaptation contributes to the well-being of widowed and divorced persons.

Abstract: Three studies were conducted examining the relationship between thoughts of defecation and thoughts of death. In Study 1 and Study 3 it was found that making thoughts of feces salient reduced the accessibility of death thoughts. In Study 2 it was found that making thoughts of death salient decreased the accessibility of feces thoughts. It is proposed that this tendency for keeping thoughts of death and feces separate is part of a broader inclination for keeping the sacred from the profane.

Abstract: This study investigated the impact of a visit from a consulting physician on the patient and the relatives during the euthanasia procedure in The Netherlands. Data on experiences with the consultant's visit were collected from 86 relatives and 3,614 general practitioners, who described their most recent request for euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. More than three-quarters of the patients experienced the visit as they had expected, or became more positive. Although about 1 out of 5 patients had negative experiences, this study indicates that, in general, a visit from a consulting physician is not perceived to be burdensome for patients.

Abstract: The authors assessed the relationship of mortality salience, as represented by birthdays, on the day of death. Preliminary studies considered the role of possible artifacts such as seasonality of birth and death, and time units for evaluation. On the basis of terror management theory's concept of “mortality salience,” the authors hypothesized that famous people, in this case Major League Baseball (MLB) players, would be more likely to die on or after their birthdays than would be expected by chance (the “birthday blues”), and that the greater their fame, as represented by induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, the greater the concentration of deaths shortly after birthdays. The results supported the hypothesis. Theoretical underpinnings of these results and practical implications were discussed.

Abstract: I have valued the opportunity to act as guest editor of this section, drawing on my experience in Britain and elsewhere as an organizational consultant and with the encouragement and help of Barbar...

Abstract: Artemis March, a sociologist by training, has been developing her own style of narrative non-fiction for the past 20 years, something she has come to recognize as having prepared her to write this ...

Abstract: Mohammad Samir Hossain, a physician and teacher of psychiatry at Medical College for Women and Hospital at Dhaka, Bangladesh, is the author of about 50 mental health articles in different journals ...

Abstract: Previous analyses of the diary of Arthur Inman, who committed suicide in 1963, portrayed him as psychiatrically disturbed, warped, corrupt, and weak. In contrast, the present article argues that he was an eccentric individual whose diary writing enabled him to live a full life by giving his life a purpose and by enabling him to ventilate at length.

Abstract: Margaret S. Stroebe is Associate Professor of Psychology at Utrecht University. Her publications include ‘‘Health Outcomes of Bereavement,’’ co-authored with Henk Schut and Wolfgang Stroebe and published in Lancet, 2007, 370, 1960–1973. Robert O. Hansson is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology at the University of Tulsa. His publications include Bereavement in Late Life: Coping, Adaptation, and Developmental Influences, co-edited with Margaret S. Stroebe and published in 2007 by the American Psychological Association. Henk Schut is Associate Professor of Psychology at Utrecht University. His publications include ‘‘The Prediction of Bereavement Outcome: Development of an Integrative Risk Factor Framework,’’ co-authored with Margaret S. Stroebe, Susan Folkman, and Robert O. Hansson, and published in Social Science and Medicine, 2006, 63, 2440–2451. Wolfgang Stroebe is Professor of Social, Organizational, and Health Psychology at Utrecht University. His publications include ‘‘Parents Grieving the Loss of Their Child: Interdependence in Coping,’’ co-authored with six persons including Margaret S. Stroebe and Henk Schut, and published in British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 2008, 47, 31–42. David E. Balk is Professor in the Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. His publications include Adolescent Encounters with Death, Bereavement, and Coping, co-edited with Charles A. Corr, and published in 2009 by Springer Publishing Company.