The Role of Past Suicidal Behavior on Current Suicidality

A Retrospective Study in the Israeli Military

Bibliographic Data

ID15500358
AuthorsLeah Shelef (0000-0003-0611-137X, Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, corresponding author), Jessica M Rabbany (0000-0002-4362-7597, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center), Peter M Gutierrez (0000-0001-8981-8404, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus), Ron Kedem (0000-0002-4454-5032, Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps), Ariel Ben Yehuda (0000-0003-3957-9390, Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps), J John Mann (0000-0002-0265-6586, New York State Psychiatric Institute), Assaf Yacobi (Tel Aviv University)
Year2021
Volume18
Issue2
Pages649-649
Publication date2021-01-14
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph18020649
PMID33466594
OpenAlexW3118650688
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited14

Past suicide attempts are a significant risk factor for future suicidality. Therefore, the present military-based study examined the past suicidal behavior of soldiers who recently made a severe suicide attempt. Our sample consisted of 65 active-duty soldiers (61.5% males), between the ages of 18 and 28 years old (M = 20.4, SD ± 1.3). The inclusion criterion was a recent severe suicide attempt, requiring at least a 24 h hospitalization. This sample was divided into two groups, according to previous suicidal behavior, namely whether their first suicide attempt was before or after enlistment ( n = 25; 38.5% and n = 40; 61.5%, respectively). We then examined the lethality and intent of the recent event in regard to this division. Four measures were used to assess the subjects' suicidal characteristics: the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, the Self-Harm Behavior Questionnaire, the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, and the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation. No significant difference in the severity of the suicide attempts (either actual or potential severity) were found between those who had suicide attempts before enlistment and those who had their first attempt in the service. As a matter of fact, most of the suicide attempts that occurred for the first time during military service had used a violent method (58.3%, n = 21). Finally, using multivariate analyses, we found that current thoughts and behavior, rather than past suicidality, was the strongest predictor for the lethality of suicide attempts

Beck Hopelessness Scale · Injury prevention · Medical emergency · Poison control · Psychiatry · Suicidal behavior · Suicidal ideation · Suicide attempt · Suicide methods · Suicide prevention · Suicide rates · Clinical Psychology · Gun Ownership and Violence Research · Medicine · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Psychology · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access