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Suicide is a growing public health crisis among military veterans. Despite recent attention to this area, there are few empirically supported preventative interventions for suicidality among veterans. In the context of an empirically supported theoretical framework, the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, the current study targeted suicide risk factors (i.e., perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness) among a sample of 46 veterans selected from a larger clinical trial. Participants were randomized to receive either a newly developed computerized intervention aimed at decreasing perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness, or participate in a repeated contact control condition. Results indicated a direct effect of the intervention on both perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Temporal mediation analyses also revealed an indirect effect of condition on suicidality at Month 1 follow-up via reductions in perceived burdensomeness. The current results are the first to indicate that factors from the interpersonal theory of suicide can be reduced among veterans, and to demonstrate that these reductions in perceived burdensomeness lead to reductions in suicidality. Because of the brevity and computer delivery system, this intervention could be widely and rapidly disseminated among military veterans to reduce the public health burden of suicide in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A suicide attempt is at least somewhat life-threatening by definition and is, for some, traumatic. Thus, it is possible that some individuals may develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from a suicide attempt. Method: In this article, we consider whether one's suicide attempt could fulfill Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria for a PTSD Criterion A event and contribute to the development of attendant PTSD symptoms (e.g., flashbacks, avoidance, shame/guilt, nightmares); discuss theoretical models of PTSD as they relate to suicide attempts; reflect on factors that might influence rates of suicide attempt–related PTSD; highlight methodological limitations that have hampered our understanding of suicide attempt–related PTSD; and posit areas for future scientific and clinical inquiry. Results: Strikingly, the degree to which a suicide attempt leads to PTSD is unknown. Conclusions: We conclude with a call for research to systematically assess for suicide attempts alongside other potentially traumatic experiences (e.g., combat exposure, rape) that are included in standardized PTSD assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Insomnia symptoms prior to traumatic event exposure predict the development of post‐traumatic stress symptoms. However, potential mechanisms underlying the association between insomnia and risk for post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms have not been prospectively tested. The current study used the trauma film paradigm to test whether insomnia symptoms prior to analogue trauma exposure predict subsequent analogue post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and potential mediators of this relationship, among an at‐risk sample of 108 participants. Results indicated that, after covarying for negative affectivity, insomnia symptoms in the 2 weeks prior to analogue trauma exposure significantly predicted increased post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms 3 days and 1 week post‐exposure. Moreover, distress immediately after exposure and post‐traumatic avoidance mediated the association between insomnia symptoms and post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms 1 week after exposure. Effect sizes were small. The current study uses an analogue trauma and analogue post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms to model clinical symptoms, includes an additional intervention prior to analogue trauma, and lacks a control film. Findings suggest increased reactivity to trauma exposure and subsequent reminders, and attempts to suppress trauma memories may be mechanisms in the association between insomnia symptoms and risk for post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Emerging evidence indicates that a nontrivial proportion of suicide attempt (SA) survivors develop clinically significant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms related to their suicide attempt (SA-PTSD). However, SA-PTSD is rarely assessed in either clinical practice or research studies, due at least in part to a lack of research examining approaches to assessing SA-PTSD. This study examined the factor structure, internal consistency, and concurrent validity of scores on a version of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) specifically anchored to one's own SA (PCL-5-SA)., Method: We recruited a sample of 386 SA survivors who completed the PCL-5-SA and related self-report measures., Results: A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) that specified a 4-factor model consistent with the DSM-5 conceptualization of PTSD indicated that the PCL-5-SA had acceptable fit in our sample, χ ²(161) = 758.03, RMSEA = 0.10, 90% CI =[0.09-0.11], CFI = 0.90, and SRMR = 0.06. The PCL-5-SA total and subfactor scores demonstrated good internal consistency (ωs = 0.88-0.95). Significant positive correlations of PCL-5-SA scores with anxiety sensitivity cognitive concerns, expressive suppression, depression symptoms, and negative affect provided evidence for concurrent validity ( r s = .25-.62)., Conclusion: Results suggest that SA-PTSD, when measured with a specific version of the PCL-5, is a conceptually coherent construct that operates consistent with the DSM-5 conceptualization of PTSD stemming from other traumatic events. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).