Introduction
Little is known about predictors of military veterans’ suicidal ideation as they transition
from service to civilian life, a potentially high-risk period that represents a critical
time for intervention. This study examined factors associated with veterans’ suicidal
ideation in the first year after military separation.
Methods
A national sample of U.S. veterans (N=7,383) from The Veterans Metrics Initiative
Study reported on their mental health, psychosocial well-being, and demographic/military
characteristics in an online survey at 3 and 9 months after separation. Cross-validated
random forest models and mean decrease in accuracy values were used to identify key
predictors of suicidal ideation. Bivariate ORs were calculated to examine the magnitude
and direction of main effects associations between predictors and suicidal ideation.
Data were collected in 2016/2017 and analyzed in 2021.
Results
In the first year after separation, 15.1% of veterans reported suicidal ideation.
Endorsing depression symptoms and, to a lesser extent, identifying oneself as experiencing
depression, were most predictive of suicidal ideation. Other psychopathology predictors
included higher anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Psychosocial well-being
predictors included higher health satisfaction and functioning, community satisfaction
and functioning, and psychological resilience. Logistic models performed similarly
to random forest models, suggesting that relationships between predictors and suicidal
ideation were better represented as main effects than interactions.
Conclusions
Results highlight the potential value of bolstering key aspects of military veterans’
mental health and psychosocial well-being to reduce their risk for suicidal ideation
in the first year after separation. Findings can inform interventions aimed at helping
veterans acclimate to civilian life.
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: May 05, 2022
Identification
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Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
