Suicide bereavement and stigma for young people in rural Australia: a mixed methods study

Abstract

This paper describes a mixed methods study undertaken to describe the experience of suicide bereavement for young people in rural Australian communities. The study involved 18 rural young people who were aged between 14 and 21 years when they experienced the suicide death of a friend. The young people completed a standardised stigma questionnaire and qualitative interview. Quantitative results suggested that young people were less likely to view suicide as stemming from isolation and depression, and they tended to consider suicide in glorifying and normalising terms. Qualitative findings included young peoples’ perceptions of stigma associated with suicide in their rural communities. Most of the young people described reluctance in their community to talk about or acknowledge suicide, as suicide was a taboo subject. The findings support the need to combat stigma and silence that surrounds suicide in rural Australia in order to assist young suicide-bereaved people.