Citation

Rabon JK, Hirsch JK, Kaniuka AR, Sirois F, Brooks BD, Neff K. Mindfulness (N Y) 2019; 10(12): 2544-2554.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s12671-019-01221-8

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Veterans are at particular risk for suicide due to psychopathological, emotional, and interpersonal risk factors. However, the presence of individual-level protective factors, such as self-compassion, may reduce risk, becoming more salient at increasing levels of distress and psychopathology, per theory. We examined the relation between self-compassion and suicide risk, and the moderating effects of depression, PTSD symptoms, anger, shame, and thwarted interpersonal needs.

METHODS: Our sample of US veterans (n = 541) in our cross-sectional study were mostly male (69.1%) with an average age of 49.90 (SD = 16.78), who completed online self-report measures: Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, Multidimensional Health Profile-Psychosocial Functioning Screening Tool, PTSD Checklist-Military Version, Differential Emotions Scale-IV, and the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire.

RESULTS: The linkage between self-compassion and suicidal behavior in our veteran sample was moderated by distress-evoking risk factors, including depression, anger, shame, and thwarted interpersonal needs, such that, as level of risk severity increases, the inverse association between self-compassion and suicidal behavior is strengthened.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight an emergent protective process that may prevent suicide in times of distress. Therapeutically bolstering the ability for self-compassion may provide a proactive coping strategy that can be brought to bear in times of crisis, reducing suicide risk for veterans. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Language: en

Keywords

Depression; Suicide; Veterans; Shame; Anger; Self-Compassion