Citation

Schmied EA, Jun HJ, Glassman LH, Pippard N, Walter KH. J. Trauma. Stress 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/jts.22909

PMID

36728175

Abstract

Suicide exposure warrants further investigation as a risk factor for suicide among military service members. This study aimed to examine associations among suicide exposure, suicidal ideation (SI), and psychological symptoms in a clinical sample of service members (N = 1,565, 64.4% suicide-exposed) and identify how one's relationship with the deceased impacts suicidality and psychological health in exposed individuals. A secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data was conducted. Generalized linear regression analyses were used to identify associations between suicide exposure and both current SI and psychological symptoms among all participants; the associations between suicide exposure characteristics and psychological symptoms were only examined among exposed individuals. Exposure was not significantly associated with higher SI, β =.007, SE =.16, p =.965, but was associated with PTSD, β = 1.60, SE = 0.49, p =.001; anxiety, β =.68, SE =.31, p =.031; and insomnia symptoms, β =.98, SE =.25, p <.001. Among participants who had been exposed, high/long impact of exposure was positively associated with SI, β = 0.94, SE =.26, p <.001, and psychological symptoms, PTSD: β = 2.32, SE =.77, p =.002; anxiety: β = 1.39, SE =.50, p =.005; insomnia: β =.96, SE =.39, p =.015.

RESULTS illustrate the significant issue of suicide exposure within the military and show consideration of suicide exposure as a potential risk factor for adverse psychological outcomes is warranted.

Language: en