Risk and Protective Factors for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Prolonged Grief, and Depression in Survivors of the Violent Death of a Loved One

Abstract

The violent death of a loved one leaves survivors at increased risk for a host of negative outcomes, including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and intense or prolonged grief. In the wake of increased interest in the phenomenology and course of these responses, there has been a corresponding interest in identifying specific predictors of psychological outcomes among survivors. However, most reviewers have focused primarily on predictors located within the individual survivor, such as coping style and trauma history. Externally located variables are equally important in identifying individuals at risk but have been relatively neglected in the literature. We review the three best-studied external predictor variables: cause of death, relationship of the mourner to the deceased, and social support. For each of these variables, we critically examine studies investigating its relationship to outcomes of violent death survivorship, offer conclusions based on available data, and suggest future directions for research.