Citation

Mansfield AJ, Bender RH, Hourani LL, Larson GE. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2011; 41(4): 392-405.

Affiliation

Alyssa J. Mansfield, Randall H. Bender, and Laurel L. Hourani, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA; Alyssa J. Mansfield, National Center for PTSD, Pacific Islands Division, Veterans Health Administration, Honolulu, HI, USA; Gerald E. Larson, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1943-278X.2011.00039.x

PMID

21599725

Abstract

Suicides have markedly increased among military personnel in recent years. We used path analysis to examine factors associated with suicidal/self-harming ideation among male Navy and Marine Corps personnel transitioning to civilian life. Roughly 7% of men (Sailors = 5.3%, Marines = 9.0%) reported ideation during the previous 30 days. Results suggest that combat exposure, substance abuse, and resilience are associated with suicidal ideation/self-harming thoughts through the mediation of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and/or depression symptoms. Substance abuse plays a moderating role. Resilience had a direct effect only among the Marines. Implications for improving the transition to civilian life are discussed.

Language: en