Symposia
Suicide and Self-Injury
Kelly L. Zuromski, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Catherine L. Dempsey, M.P.H., Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Bethesda, Maryland
David Benedek, M.D.
Professor & Chair, Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, Maryland
Jingning Ao, M.P.H.
Data Analyst, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, Maryland
Pablo Aliaga, M.S.
Project Manager
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, Maryland
Robert Bossarte, Ph.D.
Professor
University of South florida
Tampa, Florida
Robert Ursano, M.D.
Professor, Center for The Study Of Traumatic Stress
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, Maryland
Matthew Nock, Ph.D.
Professor
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Background: Firearm ownership and unsafe gun storage practices are associated with an increased risk of suicide in US Army soldiers (Dempsey et al., 2019). However, prior work has not considered relevant psychological correlates (e.g., personality traits, mental health symptoms) that may be driving the association between firearms and suicidal behavior. To fill this gap, we will use longitudinal data from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS) project to examine the associations between psychological variables, firearm ownership and storage practices, and both suicide attempt and death.
Methods: We will use data from three Army STARRS datasets: the Pre-Post Deployment Study (a longitudinal study of ~9000 soldiers focused on the effects deployment on risk for suicide), the Soldier Health Outcomes Studies—B (SHOS-B, a psychological autopsy study of 135 soldiers who died by suicide), and STARRS-LS (a longitudinal study of ~14,000 soldiers). Participants were asked about ownership of firearms, storage and carry practices, and reasons for keeping a firearm. Participants also completed items on mental health symptoms (e.g., depression, PTSD) and personality traits (e.g., impulsivity, anger). Military administrative records were used to identify suicide attempts and/or deaths among participants.
Results: We will conduct a series of logistic regression analyses to examine the associations between psychological variables, firearm ownership/storage, and suicide attempt and death. We are primarily interested in examining: (1) whether associations between firearm variables and suicidal behavior are significant after controlling for psychological variables, and (2) whether psychological variables moderate the associations between firearm variables and suicidal behavior (e.g., whether the association between firearm ownership and suicide is stronger among participants higher in impulsivity vs lower). Data are already collected. Analyses will be complete by summer 2022.
Conclusions: To our knowledge, this will be the most extensive examination to date of the association between firearm variables and both suicide attempt and death in a large, longitudinal military sample. Our inclusion of psychological variables in analyses will allow us to examine the unique effect of firearm ownership and storage practices on suicide risk. These findings will help clarify the relationship between gun ownership and suicide, which may shed light on relevant intervention targets.