Citation

Cacace S, Smith EJ, Cramer RJ, Meca A, Desmarais SL. Mil. Psychol. 2022; 34(2): 237-251.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/08995605.2021.1994329

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

US military Veterans are at greater risk for suicide than those who have never served in the US military. Recent federal calls include the need to investigate military-specific suicide risk and protective factors among military-affiliated populations. To date, no study has examined the link between military identity, self-stigma, and suicide risk. The current study used a nationally representative sample of post-Vietnam US military Veterans (N = 1,461) in order to determine relationships between military identity, self-stigma, and suicide risk. Idealism (OR = 0.86) with less odds of elevated suicide risk, whereas individualism (OR = 1.15) and military self-stigma (OR = 1.39) were associated with increased odds of elevated suicide risk. Military self-stigma was found to mediate the relationship between military identity components and suicide risk. Implications for conceptualization of military Veteran identity, suicide prevention, and future research are discussed.

Language: en

Keywords

idealism; identity; Military Veteran; self-stigma; suicide