AAS Postvention & Survivor Support 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which term describes a suicide that occurs in close temporal and social proximity to another suicide, potentially influenced by the first death?
- Cluster suicide (Correct answer)
- Congruent suicide
- Convergent suicide
- Copycat suicide only
Correct answer: Cluster suicide
Cluster suicide refers to a group of suicides that are connected in time and place, often linked by social networks or media exposure.
Question 2: A postvention program evaluation should PRIMARILY measure:
- Reduction in subsequent suicidal behavior among exposed community members (Correct answer)
- Number of memorial services organized
- Media coverage of the original death
- Cost savings for the organization
Correct answer: Reduction in subsequent suicidal behavior among exposed community members
The primary outcome measure for postvention effectiveness is whether the program reduces subsequent suicidal behavior (ideation, attempts, deaths) among those exposed to the loss.
Question 3: Which of the following statements about 'continuing bonds' in suicide grief is MOST accurate?
- Maintaining an ongoing symbolic relationship with the deceased can be a healthy part of grief (Correct answer)
- Continuing bonds always indicate pathological grief that requires intervention
- Survivors should be encouraged to detach from all memories of the deceased
- Continuing bonds are only appropriate for children, not adults
Correct answer: Maintaining an ongoing symbolic relationship with the deceased can be a healthy part of grief
Contemporary grief research, including Klass, Silverman, and Nickman's work, supports that maintaining symbolic connections with the deceased is often adaptive and healthy.
Question 4: In postvention for military communities, which factor is ESPECIALLY important to address due to its unique prevalence in this population?
- Stigma around mental health help-seeking and masculine norms (Correct answer)
- Lack of access to information about the death
- Absence of peer support networks
- Unavailability of chaplaincy or spiritual care
Correct answer: Stigma around mental health help-seeking and masculine norms
Military culture often embodies norms of stoicism and self-reliance that increase stigma around mental health help-seeking, making this a critical postvention focus.
Question 5: A survivor support group facilitator notices that one member has begun giving away personal possessions and expressing hopelessness. The facilitator's MOST appropriate immediate action is to:
- Conduct a direct risk assessment and connect the member with crisis resources (Correct answer)
- Wait to see if the behavior continues next session
- Ask other group members to monitor the individual
- Immediately call law enforcement without speaking to the member
Correct answer: Conduct a direct risk assessment and connect the member with crisis resources
Giving away possessions and expressing hopelessness are warning signs requiring immediate, direct risk assessment and connection to crisis support.
Question 6: The concept of 'post-traumatic growth' in suicide bereavement survivors refers to:
- Positive psychological transformation that can emerge from the struggle with a major loss (Correct answer)
- Complete psychological recovery with no lasting effects
- Suppression of grief symptoms through willpower
- Rapid return to pre-loss functioning within 30 days
Correct answer: Positive psychological transformation that can emerge from the struggle with a major loss
Post-traumatic growth (Tedeschi & Calhoun) describes meaningful positive changes in outlook, relationships, or personal strength that can emerge after surviving a traumatic loss.
Question 7: Which of the following is the BEST example of a 'safe messaging' principle applied to a community town hall after a local suicide?
- Presenting crisis hotline numbers and focusing discussion on coping and help-seeking (Correct answer)
- Showing photographs of the deceased to honor their memory publicly
- Providing a detailed timeline of events leading up to the death
- Encouraging community members to share methods to 'raise awareness'
Correct answer: Presenting crisis hotline numbers and focusing discussion on coping and help-seeking
Safe messaging guidelines recommend presenting help-seeking resources prominently and avoiding details that could romanticize or sensationalize the death.
AAS Postvention & Survivor Support 4
Which term describes a suicide that occurs in close temporal and social proximity to another suicide, potentially influenced by the first death?