title: Acute vs. chronic stressors, multiple suicide attempts, and persistent suicide ideation in US soldiers.
abstract: This study examined recent-onset (i.e., acute) and persistent (i.e., chronic) life stressors among 54 acutely suicidal US Army Soldiers and examined their relationship to persistence of suicidal crises over time. Soldiers with a history of multiple suicide attempts reported the most severe suicide ideation (F(2,51) = 4.18, p = 0.021) and the greatest number of chronic stressors (F(2,51) = 5.11, p = 0.009). Chronic but not acute stressors were correlated with severity of suicide ideation (r = 0.24, p = 0.026). Participants reporting low-to-average levels of chronic stress resolved suicide ideation during the 6-month follow-up, but participants reporting high levels of chronic stress did not (Wald χ(1) = 4.57, p = 0.032). Soldiers who are multiple attempters report a greater number of chronic stressors. Chronic, but not acute-onset, stressors are associated with more severe and longer-lasting suicidal crises.
authors.affiliation: *National Center for Veterans Studies; †Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; ‡Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, TN; §Fort Carson, CO; ∥University of Memphis, TN.
authors.forename: Craig J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.forename: Tracy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Clemans
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leeson
authors.forename: Michael David
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Rudd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult