Psychiatric and Interpersonal Correlates of Suicide Ideation in Military Sexual Trauma Survivors: The National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study

Abstract

Background Veterans who experience military sexual trauma are at increased risk for experiencing suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and suicide. Yet few studies have attempted to discern factors that relate to suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among survivors of military sexual trauma. The present study aimed to identify psychiatric and interpersonal correlates of suicidal ideation (primary aim) and suicide attempt (secondary aim) among survivors of military sexual trauma. Methods This cross-sectional analysis included 115 veterans (56 females; mean age = 53.24) who participated in the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study and reported experiencing military sexual trauma. Self-report measures assessed psychological distress, hazardous alcohol use, social support, loneliness, social acknowledgment following one’s worst trauma, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. Results Military sexual trauma survivors who reported more severe psychological distress (OR = 2.88), hazardous alcohol use (OR = 1.14), and perceived general disapproval from others (OR = 1.14) were significantly more likely to report experiencing suicidal ideation in the past two weeks. Hazardous alcohol use (OR = 1.19) and perceived general disapproval from others (OR = 1.36) were associated with being more likely to report attempting suicide in adulthood. Conclusions Addressing alcohol misuse, psychological distress, and perceived general disapproval from others in relation to one’s worst traumatic event is recommended when assessing and managing suicide risk among veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma. Findings also contribute to a growing literature highlighting the importance of understanding perceptions of the interpersonal response to trauma. Considering the cross-sectional design, longitudinal research is needed to further elucidate the roles of these constructs in predicting suicidal ideation and suicide attempt following military sexual trauma.

The National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study: A Narrative Review and Future Directions

“…Veterans with a history of MST (i.e., sexual assault and/or sexual harassment during service) are at elevated risk for suicide. Accordingly, Monteith et al ( 43 ) sought to identify psychiatric and interpersonal correlates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among NHRVS veterans with a history of MST. The study found MST survivors who reported more severe alcohol use problems and perceived general disapproval from others in relation to their worst traumatic event were significantly more likely to report current SI and a lifetime suicide attempt; psychological distress was additionally linked to current SI.…”

How Do We Move Forward With Trauma-Informed Care?

“…The relationship between a multitude of traumas, childhood abuse, household dysfunction and the subsequent sequelae of negative medical, psychological, and substance use disorder effects into adulthood was first described with the adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study in the 1990s. 8 Since then, there has been a plethora of empirical studies 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 on a variety of populations looking at the negative health consequences of trauma and exposure to traumatic events across multiple disciplines involving a variety of social determinants of health. For many, psychological injury sets up an already distressed individual to perceive the complex medical system as additionally burdensome, invalidating, and distrustful, exposing them to retraumatization.…”