title: Suicide among soldiers: a review of psychosocial risk and protective factors.
abstract: Suicide is difficult to predict and prevent and remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Although soldiers historically have had a suicide rate well below that of the general population, the suicide rate among members of the U.S. Army has increased markedly over the past several years and now exceeds that of the general population. This paper reviews psychosocial factors known to be associated with the increased risk of suicidal behavior in general and describes how some of these factors may be especially important in understanding suicide among soldiers. Moving forward, the prevention of suicide requires additional research aimed at: (a) better describing when, where, and among whom suicidal behavior occurs, (b) using exploratory studies to discover new risk and protective factors, (c) developing new methods of predicting suicidal behavior that synthesize information about modifiable risk and protective factors from multiple domains, and (d) understanding the mechanisms and pathways through which suicidal behavior develops. Although the scope and severity of this problem is daunting, the increasing attention and dedication to this issue by the Armed Forces, scientists, and society provide hope for our ability to better predict and prevent these tragic outcomes in the future.
authors: Department of Psychology, Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA. nock@wjh.harvard.edu
authors: Matthew K
authors: MK
authors: Nock
authors: Charlene A
authors: CA
authors: Deming
authors: Carol S
authors: CS
authors: Fullerton
authors: Stephen E
authors: SE
authors: Gilman
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Goldenberg
authors: Ronald C
authors: RC
authors: Kessler
authors: James E
authors: JE
authors: McCarroll
authors: Katie A
authors: KA
authors: McLaughlin
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Peterson
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Schoenbaum
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Stanley
authors: Robert J
authors: RJ
authors: Ursano
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003710:Demography; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
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