Additional Value of Peer Informants in Psychological Autopsy Studies of Youth Suicides

Bibliographic Data

ID4645304
AuthorsMilou Looijmans (0000-0002-2037-3897, 113 Suicide Prevention, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, corresponding author), Diana Van Bergen (113 Suicide Prevention, Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Diana D Van Bergen (0000-0002-0068-5228, University of Groningen), Renske Gilissen (0000-0002-8009-6326, 113 Suicide Prevention, Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Arne Popma (0000-0003-2170-3023, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Elias Balt (0000-0002-7022-2106, 113 Suicide Prevention, Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Daan Creemers (GGZ Oost Brabant, Boekel, The Netherlands), Daan H M Creemers (0000-0001-8638-8971, Radboud University Nijmegen), Lieke Van Domburgh (0000-0002-5149-2557, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Wico Mulder (0000-0002-6660-8209, Dutch Center for Youth Health, Utrecht, The Netherlands), Sanne Rasing (GGZ Oost Brabant, Boekel, The Netherlands), Sanne P A Rasing (0000-0002-6949-7022, Radboud University Nijmegen), Saskia Mérelle (0000-0003-1748-7700, 113 Suicide Prevention, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Year2021
Volume31
Issue11
Pages2056-2068
Publication date2021-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueQualitative Health Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/10497323211022316
PMID34166153
OpenAlexW3176298095
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited51

In this study, we examined the feasibility and added value of including peer informants in a psychological autopsy study of youth suicides. Peer semi-structured interview data from 16 cases were analyzed qualitatively and compared to parent data. Results show that peers added information to parents' narratives in general and particularly on social relationships, bullying, school experiences, social media, and family relations. Peers also provided additional information on the presence of certain issues (such as social media contagion) as well as on the emotional impact from certain adverse events that seemed to have functioned as precipitating factors. We conclude that including peers in psychological autopsy studies of youth suicides is feasible and of added value but that more research is desirable. The results initially can be used in the design of psychological autopsies so that the maximum amount of information about each suicide will be learned

Developmental psychology · Narrative · Social media · Clinical Psychology · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Psychology · Social Psychology · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies · Traumatic Brain Injury Research

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