Mothers of children who died by suicide

Abstract

Background: This study examined the journey back to routine of mothers of children who died by suicide. Objective: This research was aimed at understanding mothers' thoughts, emotions, and coping strategies with the loss of their child, using the salutogenic approach and examining their perceptions of available coping resources to study their sense of coherence and thereby promote relevant professional interventions. Method: Semistructured in-depth interviews with 30 mothers aged 50 to 65 years who had lost a child in the preceding 4 to 18 years. Results: Following content analysis, data were structured into three themes: (a) understanding of the new reality through the difficulty of returning to one's routine or choosing life, adjusting to social life, and finding new recreational activities; (b) coping with the help of others, avoiding coping, and dealing with the family by open conversations and managing with the rest of the children; and (c) emotional processing of the loss seen through the shock and the sense of having overlooked something, guilt, and relief. Conclusions: Mothers were found to be on a complex journey to restore routine after an upsetting event. They built a routine for themselves with an awareness of the difficulty of this process as they attempted to return to their routine or to change it. Implications: Informed and tailored interventions could provide a partial sense of relief for mothers of children who have committed suicide.