Utøya 22 July 2011 – psychosocial sequela for bereaved parents

Abstract

Few studies have examined the long-term mental health effects of loss of a child in a terror attack. This longitudinal study examined the level of self-reported posttraumatic stress reactions, complicated grief reactions, and functional impairment among parents bereaved by the mass shooting at Utøya Island in 2011. The findings show an overall slight reduction in both posttraumatic stress and complicated grief from 18 to 40 months after the attack. Mothers show a slower recovery than fathers do. At 40 months, the majority still scored above the cutoff for probable posttraumatic stress disorder and/or complicated grief. Also, half of the parents reported that they were either partly or totally out of work at 40 months post loss and had significantly reduced social functioning. Potential explanations of these findings are discussed.