Understanding military and Veteran suicide: A social work perspective on risk and protective factors

Abstract: Substantial efforts have been made to address the phenomenon of disproportionate veteran suicide deaths and rising active-duty military suicide. Nonetheless, the problem persists: despite considerable time, research, and financial investment suicide rates among veteran and military populations remain historically elevated. This three-article dissertation focuses on the role of risk and protective factors in contributing to stymied prevention efforts as well as their role in potential paths forward. To that end, how risk and protection are contextualized in existing research, what risk and protective factors have historically been attended to, the epistemological frameworks from which they are viewed, and the methodological practices applied, are central characteristics considered here. Study one introduces a trans-conceptual model for understanding suicide in the context of social work practice. This conceptual piece serves to lay the foundation for a contextualized framing of suicide risk and protective factors. Study two is a thematic analysis exploring the role of suicide risk and protective factors among an online community targeting military personnel and veterans. Finally, study three uses Analysis of Variance and multinomial logistic regression to explore differences that exist between veteran students and non-traditional students in university settings on measures of suicide, loneliness, resilience, flourishing and distress. Together, the research presented within this dissertation underscores the importance of an individual’s unique social ecology in understanding their overall risk and protective makeup. It highlights the importance of social work perspectives and the continuing need for social work contributions to the greater field of suicidological research.

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