Publication year
2015
Citation Title
Testing the main hypotheses of the interpersonal–psychological theory of suicidal behavior in a large diverse sample of United States military personnel.
Journal Name
Comprehensive Psychiatry
Journal Volume
60
Page Numbers
78-85
DOI
10.1016/j.comppsych.2015.03.006
Summary
Sense of belonging may impact an individual’s mental health and risk to engage in suicidal behavior. Utilizing a theoretical framework to assess suicidality, this study examined factors that may be contributing to an individual’s desire for death and ability to engage in suicide attempts. Findings revealed that Service members who perceived a lack of belongingness in one’s family and community were more likely to engage in suicidal behaviors in their lifetime.
Key Findings
Suicide desire and active suicidal ideation was present among participants with both perceived feelings of burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness.
Service members who indicated an acquired capability of suicide were more likely to have suicidal desire; leading to more suicide attempts in their lifetime.
Depression and hopelessness were not significant factors in contributing to a participant’s lifetime number of suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, or resolved plans and preparations for suicide.
Implications for Program Leaders
Offer support groups for Service members and their families that create a sense of belonging, especially during the reintegration back into family and civilian life
Educate professionals on recognizing the signs of suicidal ideation to decrease suicide attempts among individuals and families
Provide additional supportive services to individuals and families to promote hope and well-being
Implications for Policy Makers
Recommend that families and Service members are offered continual consultations with mental health professionals, especially during the various transitions in military life
Encourage further research to examine effective strategies to promote belonging, hope, and well-being in individuals and families
Recommend Service members and their families engage in building communication skills in order to better adjust to the reintegration back into family and civilian life
Methods
Service members were recruited from a large Joint Forces Training Center in a southern U.S. state.
Questionnaires were completed assessing participants’ levels of perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and hopelessness, acquired capability of suicide, depressive symptoms, number of lifetime suicide attempts, and current resolved plans or preparations for suicide.
Statistical analyses were used to assess what factors contributed to suicidal ideation, resolved plans and preparations for suicide, and lifetime number of suicide attempts.
Participants
The sample consisted of 934 Service members with 785 (84%) being affiliated with the Army National Guard, and 562 (60.1%) previously deployed; mean age was 27 years.
A majority of participants were male (77.7%) and identified as White (57.5%) followed by Black (24.3%), Latino (4.1%), and other (6.4%).
Half (53.3%) of the sample had never been married, 27.6% married, 6.4% divorced, and 0.3% widowed and/or not remarried.
Limitations
It was unclear as to what other military branches Service members came from other than the National Guard, thus it is difficult to fully apply the study findings to Service members of other branches.
Many of the measures that were used in this study lacked prior use in a military sample, which limits the ability to generalize to other Service members.
The study findings may be limited in reliability due to the sensitivity of reporting any type of mental health issues, such as suicidal ideation.
Avenues for Future Research
Utilize samples with all branches of military personnel to determine how burdensomeness and thwarted belongings may differ from that of Active Duty personnel
Replicate this study to assess suicidal behaviors across time, especially during military-related transitions such as reintegration back into family life and civilian life
Conduct semi-structured interviews with individuals and families on suicidal behaviors with a trained professional
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
"Background: Preliminary data indicate the suicide rate in the United States military decreased in 2013, but the National Guard saw a continued increase. Method: We examined the utility of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior (IPTS) in a sample of US military personnel drawn largely from the National Guard (n = 934, 77.7% male, 59.5% white). Results: Results indicated the interaction of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness predicted suicidal ideation and resolved plans and preparations for suicide. In each case, risk was greatest at higher levels of both predictors. Furthermore, results indicated the interaction of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and acquired capability for suicide predicted prior suicide attempts. In this interaction term, the relationship between suicidal desire (thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness) and suicide attempts was significant and positive only at high levels of acquired capability. All analyses were cross-sectional. Conclusions: Results indicate the IPTS may be useful for conceptualizing suicide risk in the National Guard."
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