Posttraumatic Growth Among Suicide-Loss Survivors: Protocol for an Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Grief and Bereavement Studies
• Trauma Research

Background:

• Suicide bereavement can cause complicated grief and reduce social support.
• Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is a potential positive outcome following traumatic events, including suicide loss.
• Existing research on PTG after suicide bereavement is limited, with the last systematic review data collected in 2018.

Purpose of the Study:

• To update the systematic review and meta-analysis on posttraumatic growth following suicide bereavement.
• To investigate demographic characteristics, correlational relationships, and facilitators of PTG in suicide survivors.
• To compare updated findings with the original review to identify similarities, differences, and trends over time.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis protocol updated from a previous review.
• Searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science (Core Collection) for studies from January 2019 to January 2024.
• Included quantitative studies reporting posttraumatic or stress-related growth in individuals bereaved by suicide; assessed quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS); conducted random-effects meta-analyses using RStudio.

Main Results:

• The review is currently in progress, with 21 articles included and analysis underway.
• Results are expected by October 2024, with submission planned for December 2024.
• Data synthesis will include studies from both the original review and the updated search period.

Conclusions:

• The updated review will provide current insights into PTG following suicide bereavement.
• Comparison with the original review will highlight changes and consistencies in PTG research.
• Discussion will address findings, limitations, and implications for understanding resilience after suicide loss.