Citation

Holmes EK, Mateczun JM, Lall R, Wilcove GL. Psychol. Rep. 1998; 83(1): 3-11.

Affiliation

Leadership, Ethics & Law Department, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland 21402, USA. ekholmes@nadn.navy.mil

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9775659

Abstract

Risk factors for suicide among active-duty members of the United States Marine Corps were investigated. Three groups were suicide attempters (n = 172), completers (n = 22), and a nonpsychiatric comparison group (n = 384). A series of multiple regression and discriminant analyses were conducted to assess whether any of 137 selected risk-factors differentiated the suicidal group from the comparison group. The following factors differentiated suicide attempters and completers from the comparison group and were associated with increased suicide risk: History of Abuse, Neglect, or Rejection, Lower Performance Evaluation, Symptoms of Depression, No History of Gambling Behavior, Younger Age, History of Alcohol Abuse, and Hopelessness. A discriminant analysis using these seven variables resulted in a 77% accuracy rate. When evaluating variables that could be obtained by a review of military records alone, three variables differentiated the attempters and completers from the comparison group, Lower Performance Evaluation, Younger Age, and a History of Military or Legal Problems. These variables correctly classified 73% of the sample. Implications for suicide-risk assessment for individuals in the Marine Corps are provided.

Language: en