<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>This article presents the results of a study undertaken to evaluate how parents experience voluntary Death Scene Investigation (DSI) in their homes. In total, 35 parents were interviewed using semi-structured qualitative interview guidelines developed for this project. These focused on the parents’: 1) appraisal of information provided prior to the DSI and motivation for participating in the study, 2) experience of, and reactions to the DSI, and 3) thoughts and reactions following the DSI. The evaluation shows that performing a DSI is an important part of providing good care for bereaved parents following Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. If such an investigation is undertaken by professionals with extensive professional knowledge and experience in meeting bereaved parents in an empathic and caring manner, it can be a positive experience for parents, and help support them in coping with the painful death of their infant.</p></abstract>

This article presents the results of a study undertaken to evaluate how parents experience voluntary Death Scene Investigation (DSI) in their homes. In total, 35 parents were interviewed using semi-structured qualitative interview guidelines developed for this project. These focused on the parents’: 1) appraisal of information provided prior to the DSI and motivation for participating in the study, 2) experience of, and reactions to the DSI, and 3) thoughts and reactions following the DSI. The evaluation shows that performing a DSI is an important part of providing good care for bereaved parents following Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. If such an investigation is undertaken by professionals with extensive professional knowledge and experience in meeting bereaved parents in an empathic and caring manner, it can be a positive experience for parents, and help support them in coping with the painful death of their infant.

Death scene investigation: parents’ experiences

Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen

Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences,

Scandinavian Journal of Forensic Science

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Death scene investigation: parents\u2019 experiences"}

This article presents the results of a study undertaken to evaluate how parents experience voluntary Death Scene Investigation (DSI) in their homes. In total,...

Death scene investigation: parents’ experiences

Published Online: Mar 04, 2017

Page range: 57 - 63

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjfs-2016-0009

Keywords
Death scene investigation, autopsy, parents’ experience

© 2016 Danish Society of Forensic Medicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Death scene investigation: parents’ experiences

Published Online: Mar 04, 2017

Page range: 57 - 63

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjfs-2016-0009

KeywordsDeath scene investigation, autopsy, parents’ experience

© 2016 Danish Society of Forensic Medicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Death scene investigation, autopsy, parents’ experience