Shame, pride, and suicidal ideation in a military clinical sample
CJ Bryan, B Ray-Sannerud, CE Morrow…�- Journal of affective�…, 2013 - Elsevier
CJ Bryan, B Ray-Sannerud, CE Morrow, N Etienne
Journal of affective disorders, 2013•ElsevierBACKGROUND: Suicide risk among US military personnel has been increasing over the
past decade. Fluid vulnerability theory (FVT; Rudd, 2006) posits that acute suicidal episodes
increase in severity when trait-based (eg, shame) and state-based (eg, hopelessness) risk
factors interact, especially among individuals who have been previously suicidal. In contrast,
trait-based protective factors (eg, pride) should buffer the deleterious effects of risk factors.
METHODS: 77 active duty military personnel (95% Air Force; 58.4% male, 39.0% female;�…
past decade. Fluid vulnerability theory (FVT; Rudd, 2006) posits that acute suicidal episodes
increase in severity when trait-based (eg, shame) and state-based (eg, hopelessness) risk
factors interact, especially among individuals who have been previously suicidal. In contrast,
trait-based protective factors (eg, pride) should buffer the deleterious effects of risk factors.
METHODS: 77 active duty military personnel (95% Air Force; 58.4% male, 39.0% female;�…
BACKGROUND
Suicide risk among U.S. military personnel has been increasing over the past decade. Fluid vulnerability theory (FVT; Rudd, 2006) posits that acute suicidal episodes increase in severity when trait-based (e.g., shame) and state-based (e.g., hopelessness) risk factors interact, especially among individuals who have been previously suicidal. In contrast, trait-based protective factors (e.g., pride) should buffer the deleterious effects of risk factors.
METHODS
77 active duty military personnel (95% Air Force; 58.4% male, 39.0% female; 67.5% Caucasian, 19.5% African–American, 1.3% Native American, 1.3% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 1.3% Asian, and 5.2% other) engaged in outpatient mental health treatment completed self-report surveys of shame, hopelessness, pride, and suicidal ideation. Multiple generalized regression was utilized to test the associations and interactive effects of shame, hopelessness, and worst-point past suicidal ideation on severity of current suicidal ideation.
RESULTS
Shame significantly interacted with hopelessness (B=−0.013, SE=0.004, p<0.001) and worst-point suicidal ideation (B=0.027, SE=0.010, p=0.010), augmenting each variable's effect on severity of current suicidal ideation. A significant three-way interaction among shame, worst-point suicidal ideation, and pride was also observed (B=−0.010, SE=0.0043, p=0.021), indicating that pride buffered the interactive effects of shame with worst-point suicidal ideation.
LIMITATIONS
Small sample size, cross-sectional design, and primarily Air Force sample.
CONCLUSIONS
Among military outpatients with histories of severe suicidal episodes, pride buffers the effects of hopelessness on current suicidal ideation. Results are consistent with FVT.
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