Developing Identity After Goodbye: Social Identity Theory and How Adolescent Survivors Navigate Suicide Loss

Author

• Elizabeth Susan LawtonFollow

Year of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Name

Communication Studies

Department or School/College

Communication Studies

Committee Chair

Dr. Heather Voorhees

Commitee Members

Dr. Heather Voorhees, Dr. Joel Iverson, Dr. Maegan Rides At The Door

Keywords

Suicide, Suicide awareness, suicide-loss survivors, suicide bereavement, Social Identity Theory, grief identity development

Subject Categories

Communication | Health Communication | Interpersonal and Small Group Communication | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Adolescents who lose a loved one to suicide, known as suicide-loss survivors, face a disruption to identity development, a life stage defined by identity formation (Adler et al., 2018) and group belonging (Pittman & Richmond, 2008). Suicide bereavement is complicated not only by grief but also by stigma, which can fracture social ties and undermine self-concept. Social identity theory (SIT) provides a framework for examining how young adults, now ages 18 to 30, reconstruct their social identities after experiencing suicide loss in adolescence. Research in other stigmatized contexts shows that adopting positive in-group identities can buffer against stigma and protect mental health. For example, studies of recovery communities (Buckingham et al., 2013), autistic communities (Cooper, 2016), and veteran networks (Ruben & LaPiere, 2023) demonstrate how identification with valued groups fosters collective self-esteem, belonging, and resilience. Yet SIT has not been applied to suicide-loss survivors, despite evidence that survivor peer groups provide normalization, validation, and protective benefits. This study investigates how young adults who lost someone to suicide during adolescence understand their social identities before, during, and after loss, whether they adopt a suicide-loss survivor identity, and what communicative and psychological benefits they derive from affiliating with fellow survivors. Findings will extend SIT into the context of suicide bereavement, offering theoretical contributions to communication scholarship and practical implications for survivor support and suicide prevention.

Recommended Citation

Lawton, L. (2026). Developing identity after goodbye: Social identity theory and how adolescent survivors navigate suicide loss. University of Montana.