Perceived Purpose in Life, Mental Health, and Suicidality in Older US Military Veterans: Results From the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study

Objective: To determine the current prevalence of perceived purpose in life (PIL) and its association with screening positive for mental disorders and suici-dality in a nationally representative sample of predominantly older U.S. veter-ans. Methods: Data were analyzed from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (N = 4,069; Mage = 62.2). Veterans were classified into three groups based on perceived PIL level (i.e., low, average, and high). Self-report assessments were administered to screen for mental disorders and suicidality. Results: Most veterans endorsed average PIL (71.7%), while 16.0% endorsed low PIL and 12.4% endorsed high PIL. A "dose-response" association was observed between PIL and outcomes. High PIL was associated with 42% -94% reduced odds of screening positive for major depressive, generalized anx-iety, posttraumatic stress, and substance use disorders, as well as suicide attempts, ideation, and future intent. Conclusion: Higher PIL is associated with lower odds of mental disorders and suicidality in U.S. veterans, underscor-ing the potential importance of interventions to bolster PIL in this population.