A Collation of Funeral Directors' Impressions of Suicidal Deaths

Abstract

The present study was focused on whether or not suicidal deaths produce reactions in the surviving family that are different from those caused by other types of death. Structured interviews were conducted with twenty-five funeral directors. Their observations were obtained on the severity of the family's reaction and on the social responses of others to the bereaved family. The response of the funeral directors indicated that suicide produces different reactions by the family and different social responses to the family than other types of death. Suicide was viewed as producing more shame and embarrassment, greater difficulty in coping with the death, and greater likelihood of guilt feelings and unanswered questions about the death in the surviving family. Most of the sample of directors indicated that others feel more uncomfortable in expressing sympathy to the survivors of suicide and less confident about the expression of sympathy.