Myth: Young Ones Should Be Lied to About Deaths by Suicide
While conversations about death, particularly death by suicide, are difficult and uncomfortable, the impact of lying to children is generally negative.
Fact: Appropriate Honesty Is the Best Policy with Children
While it may be appropriate to withhold some details, generally, lying about what happened creates a distrust when they discover the truth. No direct research exists specifically on lying about suicide death but the general evidence on parental lying demonstrates poorer outcomes.
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Evidence
Parental lying has a negative impact by decreasing trust in the parent-child relationship and creates a greater likelihood the child will lie to the parent.
In Support of the Myth
None identified.
To Refute the Myth
“We discovered that remembering greater exposure to parenting by lying in childhood is associated with increased dishonesty toward parents in adulthood and with the development of internalizing, externalizing, and antisocial personality problems.”
“Results indicated that the relationship between parenting by lying in childhood and internalizing behaviors in adulthood was best explained when lying to parents and parent–child relationship quality were simultaneously examined as a double mediation.” In other words, the impact of lying to the relationship is problematic.
Unclear or Mixed Support
None identified.
Learn more about suicide myths – and the truths behind them – by following the links below.