Exploring Social Dynamics in Suicide Bereavement

Background: Rising suicide rates and their impact on families underscore the need for reliable tools to assess grief's social dimensions. Aims: This study validated the Spanish version of the Social Meaning in Life Events Scale (SMILES) for Spanish-speaking adults bereaved by suicide. Method: Three hundred seven suicide-bereaved adults completed the Spanish SMILES. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed its two-factor structure -Social Validation and Social Invalidation - while construct validity analysis explored its relationship with depressive symptoms, social support, posttraumatic growth, and meaning in life. Results: The two-factor structure was supported, with strong internal consistency and construct validity. Social Invalidation correlated with higher depressive symptoms and lower social support, growth, and meaning, whereas Social Validation was linked to positive outcomes. Limitations: Self-reported data and a cross-sectional design limit generalizability and causal interpretations. Conclusion: The Spanish SMILES is a valid tool for assessing bereavement's social dynamics, highlighting the need to foster validation and reduce invalidation to support suicide loss survivors.