Growing through grief. Bereavement after parental suicide in a child with autism spectrum disorder: A clinical case

Authors

  • Mariana Ferraz de Liz Department of Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8056-0213
  • Ana Filipa Lopes Department of Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2955-208X
  • Marta Antunes Pereira Department of Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2726-9408
  • Sara Araújo Department of Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6704-2019
  • Mariana Lima Falcão Department of Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2818-182X
  • Maria do Carmo Santos Department of Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25753/BirthGrowthMJ.v32.i4.27850

Keywords:

autism spectrum disorder, bereavement, childhood, clinical case, suicide

Abstract

The impact of suicide on children remains unclear.
Herein is reported the case of a seven-year-old boy who was referred for consultation for behavioral changes after witnessing his mother’s suicide. The main complaints were constant questions about death, emotional lability, and motor agitation. During bereavement-focused psychotherapy, some particularities in social functioning were noted, leading to the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
The bereavement process following parental suicide is modulated by several factors. Understanding these factors in the context of the particularities of the ASD population has allowed for a better understanding of the individual challenges of children that warrant specific interventions.
Much remains to be understood about suicide imprinting in surviving offspring, particularly in children with ASD for whom the bereavement process may be overlooked.

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References

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Published

2024-01-23

How to Cite

1.
Ferraz de Liz M, Lopes AF, Pereira Antunes M, Araújo S, Lima Falcão M, Santos M do C. Growing through grief. Bereavement after parental suicide in a child with autism spectrum disorder: A clinical case. REVNEC [Internet]. 2024Jan.23 [cited 2024Apr.27];32(4):318-22. Available from: https://revistas.rcaap.pt/nascercrescer/article/view/27850

Issue

Vol. 32 No. 4 (2023)

Section

Case Reports

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Mariana Ferraz de Liz, Ana Filipa Lopes, Marta Antunes Pereira, Sara Araújo, Mariana Lima Falcão, Maria do Carmo Santos

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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