(PS10-A3) The Impact of Suicide Risk on Perceived Closeness Following Relationship Discussions Between Military Couples

The suicide rate of military personnel exceeded that of the U.S. general population for the first time in 2008 and has continued to increase over time. Within the military, suicides have been especially high in the Army National Guard and Reserve components where death by suicide is almost twice as a likely as compared to their active-duty peers. One prevailing theory of suicide, the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, highlights the role of interpersonal factors (e.g., sense of belonging or connection, perceived burden) contributing to suicidal thoughts or behaviors. In adulthood, one’s romantic relationship may be a critical relationship related to suicide risk. Indeed, marital status is an established protective factor against suicide while relationship problems are a risk factor for suicide. But, little is known about whether relationship interaction dynamics are associated with suicide risk or if individuals with a history of suicide risk experience relationship interactions differently than individuals without suicide risk.
Participants were 104 individuals in 52 committed partnerships where one or both partners were either OEF/OIF/OND-era Veterans or current Reservist. Couples completed a lab visit, during which they completed self-report questionnaires, a clinical interview to assess suicide risk, and three 10-minute video recorded conversations (one conversation about their reasons for living and two problem discussions). These conversations were counterbalanced. Prior to and immediately following each conversation, participants self-reported their current feelings of closeness with their partner using a questionnaire created for this study. Results demonstrate closeness significantly increased after conversations about reasons for living and significantly decreased after conversations about problems in one’s relationship. Furthermore, there was an interaction between suicide risk and changes in closeness during the conversations such that, after discussing reasons for living, partners at risk of suicide felt significantly closer to their partner but those not at risk for suicide did not experience significant changes in closeness. In contrast, closeness significantly decreased following conflict discussions for all partners regardless of whether they were at risk for suicide or not. Thus, individuals at risk for suicide may particularly benefit from positive relationship discussions to foster closeness, which is highly consistent with interpersonal theories of suicide. These findings also suggest increasing positive relationship behaviors may confer additional benefits when working to prevent suicide among partnered individuals.