ABSTRACT
D. Balk identified acute emotional responses of students after the death of a peer. Balk revealed that although peer support and chances to talk with friends about the death at such a time of loss were important aids in coping with death, many peers feel uncomfortable talking about death. Furthermore, young people often take cues about how to react from the adults around them, more than from the event itself. It is crucial that counselors, teachers, administrators, and support personnel process the emotional needs of survivors. Teachers and staff also need help in understanding and handling young people's normal, yet often inappropriate, reactions to death. A paramount need is for counselors, teachers, and other support personnel to process the emotional needs of survivors. Denial and numbness dominate during the first twenty four hours and includes a refusal to accept the fact of loss or a selective denial of painful memories.
