Military Service and Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in a National Sample of College Students

Crisis ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
James L. Pease ◽  
Lindsey L. Monteith ◽  
Trisha A. Hostetter ◽  
Jeri E. Forster ◽  
Nazanin H. Bahraini
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Major Depression ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Student Veterans ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
History Of ◽  
Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors ◽  
Nonsuicidal Self Injury

Background: As a result of the post-9/11 GI Bill, increasing numbers of veterans are enrolling in college. However, little is known regarding suicidal outcomes among this group. In prior research, college student veterans reported high rates of suicidal ideation and attempt. Nonetheless, no research has examined whether military service is associated with increased suicide risk among college students. Aims: Our primary aims were to examine whether a history of military service was related to past-year suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt among college students. On the basis of previous research with college students, we hypothesized that students with a history of military service (i.e., current or prior) would report a higher percentage of past-year suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt. Our secondary aims were to examine the associations between military service and major depression and nonsuicidal self-injury. Method: Our sample included 3,290 college students with and without a history of military service who participated in the Healthy Minds Study in 2011 and 2012. Results: Military service was not significantly associated with past-year suicidal ideation, plan, or attempt. Students without a history of military service were more likely to report nonsuicidal self-injury. There was no significant difference in screening positive for major depression. Conclusions: These findings conflict with previous research that identified student veterans as being at elevated risk.

Perceptions of the Functions of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in a College Sample

Crisis ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 338-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen L. Batejan ◽  
Lance P. Swenson ◽  
Stephanie M. Jarvi ◽  
Jennifer J. Muehlenkamp
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Affect Regulation ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
At Risk Students ◽  
College Campuses ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviors ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
History Of ◽  
Regulation Functions ◽  
Nonsuicidal Self Injury

Abstract. Background: Rates of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) are particularly high on college campuses. Commonly endorsed reasons for NSSI include interpersonal (e.g., seeking support) and intrapersonal (e.g., affect regulation) functions. Aims: This study compared college students with and without a history of NSSI on their views of NSSI functions in order to inform gatekeeper intervention/prevention programs targeting NSSI. Method: The Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury, which assessed NSSI behavior and functions of NSSI, was completed by 367 college students (73% female, 95% white). Results: Ninety-eight participants endorsed lifetime moderate/severe NSSI, 109 endorsed minor NSSI, and 160 denied any history of NSSI. Noninjuring participants' views of NSSI functions were compared with the views held by participants with histories of NSSI. The groups did not differ in their views of the relevance of intrapersonal functions, although noninjuring individuals appeared to stress some interpersonal factors (e.g., influence) slightly more than individuals with a history of NSSI did. Conclusion: These results suggest that college students generally hold similar perceptions of the functions of NSSI. Our findings suggest intervention/prevention efforts may consider broadening the selection of gatekeepers (e.g., peers with no history of NSSI) in schools and colleges to identify at-risk students and encourage help-seeking behaviors.

The Relation Between Illegal Risk Behaviors and the Acquired Capability for Suicide

Crisis ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 368-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean M. Mitchell ◽  
Danielle R. Jahn ◽  
Kelly C. Cukrowicz
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Risk Behaviors ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Interpersonal Theory ◽  
Interpersonal Theory Of Suicide ◽  
Acquired Capability ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Partial Correlations ◽  
History Of ◽  
Explained Variance

Background: Suicide is the third leading cause of death among college students. The interpersonal theory of suicide may provide a way to conceptualize suicide risk in this population. Aims: We sought to examine relations between illegal behaviors that may act as risk factors for suicide and the acquired capability for suicide. Method: College students (N = 758) completed assessments of acquired capability and previous exposure to painful and provocative events, including illegal risk behaviors (IRBs). Linear regression, a nonparametric bootstrapping procedure, and two-tailed partial correlations were employed to test our hypotheses. Results: There was no significant relation between IRBs and acquired capability after controlling for legal painful and provocative experiences. A significant positive relation was identified between IRBs and fear/anxiety, contradicting the expected relation between increased painful and provocative experiences and lower fear/anxiety. Acquired capability explained variance in the relation between IRBs and history of suicide attempt or self-injury history. Conclusion: Further research is needed to examine links between IRBs and painful and provocative events, particularly to identify the point at which habituation begins to increase acquired capability, as our unexpected results may be due to a lack of habituation to risky behaviors or low variability of scores in the sample.

scholarly journals Impact of Violent Experiences and Social Support on R-NSSI Behavior among Middle School Students in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 3347
Author(s):  
Kun Liu ◽  
Xueyan Yang ◽  
Moye Xin
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Nonsuicidal Self Injury

Repetitive nonsuicidal self-injury (R-NSSI) is an extreme manifestation of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) behavior that causes bodily harm and emotional and personality disorders. It is a growing concern, especially among adolescents; therefore, this study aims to provide empirical support for effective interventions on R-NSSI behavior among adolescents in China. We used data of about 1180 students from a survey conducted in seven middle schools in Xi’an, China, and applied multiple logistic regression to analyze NSSI and R-NSSI among male and female students, including their influencing factors. We found no significant difference between male and female students’ R-NSSI; however, regarding influencing factors, male students had more violent experiences and less social support than female students. Parental and familial factors played the most prominent role in social support. Social support was found to be a main-effect mechanism in the effect of violent experiences on R-NSSI among male students, whereas the mechanism had both a main effect and a certain buffer effect among female students. R-NSSI was found to be more prevalent among younger children, children with siblings, and those with romantic relationship experiences. We also found that healthy adolescent development involves the participation of families and schools. Health education should be conducted according to the students’ sex and characteristics.

scholarly journals Prevalence and demographic, substance use, and mental health correlates of fasting among U.S. college students

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle T. Ganson ◽  
Rachel F. Rodgers ◽  
Stuart B. Murray ◽  
Jason M. Nagata
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Illicit Drug ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
The Past ◽  
Self Injury

Abstract Background Fasting is an unhealthy behavior that has been frequently used as part of weight loss attempts. To date, little research has been conducted to determine the prevalence and substance use and mental health correlates of fasting among college students. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and associations between any (≥ 1 time) and regular (≥ 13 times) occurrences of fasting in the past 4 weeks and substance use and mental health correlates among a large sample of college students from 2016 to 2020. Methods Data from four academic survey years (2016–2020; N = 8255) of the national (USA) Healthy Minds Study were analyzed. Unadjusted prevalence of any and regular fasting by survey year and gender was estimated. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the associations between any and regular fasting and the demographic (age, body mass index, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, highest parental education), substance use (cigarette use, marijuana use, other illicit drug use, alcohol use), and mental health (depression, anxiety, eating disorder symptoms, suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury) correlates. Results Any fasting in the past 4 weeks was common among both men (14.77%) and women (18.12%) and significantly increased from 2016 (10.30%) to 2020 (19.81%) only among men. Regular fasting significantly increased among both men and women from 2016 (men: 1.46%; women: 1.79%) to 2020 (men: 3.53%; women: 6.19%). Among men and women, both any and regular fasting in the past 4 weeks were associated with higher odds of all mental health symptoms, including a positive depression, anxiety, and eating disorder screen, suicidal ideation, and non-suicidal self-injury. Among women, but not men, any and regular fasting in the past 4 weeks were associated with higher odds of marijuana use and other illicit drug use (e.g., cocaine, ecstasy). Conclusions The results from this study underscore both the high and increasing prevalence of fasting among a national sample of college students, as well as the substance use and mental health symptoms associated with this behavior. Healthcare professionals both on and off campus should consider screening for fasting behaviors among college students and provide appropriate intervention when needed.

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