Grief and delivering a statement in court: a longitudinal mixed-method study among homicidally bereaved people

Lieke C.J. Nijborg; Maarten J.J. Kunst; Gerben J. Westerhof; Jos de Keijser; Lonneke I.M. Lenferink

doi:10.1080/20008066.2023.2297541

European Journal of Psychotraumatology (Dec 2024)

Grief and delivering a statement in court: a longitudinal mixed-method study among homicidally bereaved people

Lieke C.J. Nijborg,
Maarten J.J. Kunst,
Gerben J. Westerhof,
Jos de Keijser,
Lonneke I.M. Lenferink

Affiliations

Lieke C.J. Nijborg: Department of Psychology, Health, and Technology, Faculty of Behavioural, Management, and Social Sciences, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
Maarten J.J. Kunst: Institute for Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
Gerben J. Westerhof: Department of Psychology, Health, and Technology, Faculty of Behavioural, Management, and Social Sciences, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
Jos de Keijser: Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural, and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
Lonneke I.M. Lenferink: Department of Psychology, Health, and Technology, Faculty of Behavioural, Management, and Social Sciences, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2297541
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 15, no. 1

Abstract

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ABSTRACTBackground: Participating in a criminal trial may increase the likelihood of developing psychopathology. In 2021, people bereaved by a plane disaster (flight MH17) had the opportunity to deliver a victim personal statement (VPS) in Dutch court.Objective: This longitudinal mixed-method study examined different aspects of 84 bereaved people’s experiences with VPS delivery.Method: Motivations to deliver, or not deliver, an oral VPS were examined qualitatively using thematic content analysis. Whether background and loss-related variables were related to the decision to deliver a VPS was examined using binary logistic regression analyses. Between-group (delivered VPS vs. did not) and within-group (pre- vs. post-VPS) comparisons were made regarding prolonged grief disorder (PGD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression levels using t-tests and paired t-tests.Results: Bereaved people were most frequently motivated to deliver an oral VPS to describe the impact of the incident, while those who did not deliver an oral VPS commonly wanted to protect themselves from the perceived emotional burden. None of the correlates – i.e. biological sex, age, level of education, number of losses, and (closest) relationship to the deceased – were related to the decision to deliver a VPS. Lastly, significantly higher PGD, PTSD, and depression levels were reported by people who delivered a VPS than those who did not, before and after the court hearing. No significant within-group differences were found over time.Conclusions: Professionals may provide emotional support to bereaved people who want to deliver a VPS and manage their expectations if they want to deliver a VPS for the purpose of symptom reduction. Future research may benefit from examining other ways in which VPS delivery might have beneficial or detrimental effects for specific individuals. Overall, implementing VPS delivery in court on the basis of emotional restoration remains empirically unsupported, if defined as a reduction in psychopathological levels.

Published in European Journal of Psychotraumatology

ISSN: 2000-8066 (Online)
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry: Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system: Psychiatry
Website: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/zept

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