Implementation of suicide bereavement support: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Suicide affects many, leaving survivors with complex grief and a need for specialized support.
• Existing research primarily addresses grief experiences, with limited focus on implementing support programs for suicide loss survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize findings on the implementation strategies and evaluations of suicide postvention programs.
• To identify gaps and provide recommendations for future research in this critical area.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across eight databases, adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
• Peer-reviewed studies focusing on the implementation or evaluation of suicide postvention programs were included.
• A narrative synthesis approach was employed, mapping findings to the Proctor implementation framework.

Main Results:

• Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria for the review.
• A range of implementation outcomes have been assessed, but formal implementation frameworks are underutilized in guiding analysis.
• Findings indicate variability in assessed outcomes and limited consistent application of theoretical frameworks.

Conclusions:

• Consistent terminology and the enhanced utilization of implementation frameworks are crucial for advancing postvention research.
• Adopting reliable and validated tools for measuring implementation outcomes will strengthen the rigor of research in suicide bereavement support.
• Future research should prioritize structured implementation evaluation to better understand and improve support for suicide loss survivors.