The psychological effects of sudden infant death syndrome on surviving family members.

It has been estimated that 7,000 to 10,000 deaths each year may be attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Although some clinicians have published their personal observations regarding the psychological effects of SIDS on surviving family members, a literature search failed to reveal more thorough studies of the aftermath of SIDS. This study reports the responses to a 13-page questionnaire of 32 parents who had experienced SIDS. Several major findings were observed: (1) SIDS is the most severe crisis these parents had ever experienced, taking their families an average of 8.3 months to regain the level of family organization they had held prior to the death, and taking individual parents an average of 15.9 months to regain the level of personal happiness they had held prior to the death; (2) a majority of parents suffered personal guilt, and numerous other psychological and/or physiological difficulties; (3) relationships with other family members were affected in various ways in the vast majority of cases; and (4) 60 percent of parents who had experienced SIDS in this particular population could not be found for participation in the study; all of these parents had, within 2 1/2 years of the death, moved from their home towns. Implications for crisis prevention and intervention are outlined.