Discriminators of Suicide Thoughts and Attempts among Homeless Veterans Who Abuse Substances

• Published in: Suicide & life-threatening behavior Vol. 33; no. 4; pp. 430 - 442
• Main Author: Benda, Brent B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2003; Guilford
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Attachment; Biological and medical sciences; Comorbidity; Depression (Psychology); Discriminant Analysis; Drug abuse; Drug Use; Homeless people; Homeless Persons - psychology; Homelessness; Humans; Interpersonal Competence; Male; Medical sciences; Mental Disorders; Middle Aged; Midwestern United States - epidemiology; Personality Problems; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Reference Materials; Self Efficacy; Social Theories; Sociodemographic Factors; Substance Abuse; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Suicide; Suicide, Attempted - psychology; Suicide, Attempted - statistics & numerical data; Suicides & suicide attempts; Veterans; Veterans - psychology; Midwestern United States; Human; Drug addiction; Discriminant analysis; Homeless; Risk factor; Male; Veteran; Suicide ideation; Suicide attempt
• ISSN: 0363-0234; 1943-278X
• DOI: 10.1521/suli.33.4.430.25233

Six hundred homeless military veterans who abused substances were examined to determine what factors discriminate between nonsuicidal veterans, those who had suicidal thoughts, and persons who had attempted suicide. Several factors were considered based on attachment theory, including caregiver attachment, sexual abuse, physical abuse, resilience, self‐efficacy, and self‐esteem. Suicide attempters were discriminated from others by psychiatric comorbidity, early abuse, severity of substance abuse, and longevity of drug use. In contrast, the discriminators between nonsuicidal homeless substance abusers and others were elements of attachment and commitments such as marriage, employment, and religiosity. Some implications of the findings for intervention are discussed.