Support Systems: How Post-Deployment Support Impacts Suicide Risk Factors in the United States Army National Guard

Suicide rates within the military have continued to rise in recent years, resulting in re-doubled efforts to understand and remedy this trend. In an attempt to clarify unique pathways to suicide risk in this population, the current study examined the relationship between length of time since most recent deployment and several suicide risk factors (hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and resolved plans and preparations). Furthermore, this study examined the moderating influence of post-deployment social support in the prediction of suicide risk. Results indicated that the interaction of time since deployment and post-deployment support predicted both hopelessness and resolved plans and preparations, but did not predict suicidal ideation. These findings suggest that the negative effects of time spent away from recognized military support may be compounded by the isolating effect of decreased access to alternative supports at home, resulting in increased hopelessness and/or resolved plans and preparations. Implications for the necessity of improved post-deployment programs are discussed.