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Bereavement after a Physician‐Assisted Suicide: A Speculation Based on Theory
Author(s) -
Beder Joan
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1943-278x.1998.tb00859.x
Subject(s) - psychodynamics , speculation , supreme court , intervention (counseling) , psychology , physician assisted suicide , psychotherapist , medicine , psychiatry , law , political science , economics , macroeconomics
Despite the recent Supreme Court ruling upholding the ban on physician‐assisted suicide, the practice continues in the United States. A majority of Americans support physician‐assisted suicide, and several surveys document its use by physicians and nurses. This article explores the anticipated bereavement experience of significant survivors following a physician‐assisted suicide. Theoretical approaches to bereavement frame the discussion of possible reactions to suicidal death: (1) psychodynamic, (2) attachment theory, (3) crisis theory, and (4) cognitive theory. Three case scenarios illustrate potential survivor reactions, with suggested intervention approaches.