Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression
Published on: April 26, 2024
Shame as a mediator between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and suicidal ideation among veterans
Katherine C Cunningham1, Stefanie T LoSavio2, Paul A Dennis2
1Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States; The VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center,Durham, NC, United States.
Background:
Suicidal ideation is a problem that disproportionately affects veterans. Moreover, veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) appear to be at particularly high risk for suicide.
Objective:
The purpose of the present research was to examine whether shame mediates the association between PTSD and suicidal ideation.
Methods:
Secondary analyses were conducted in a sample of 201 veterans with PTSD seeking care through an outpatient Veterans Affairs specialty PTSD clinic.
Results:
Path analysis revealed that shame fully accounted for the effects of PTSD on suicidal ideation, suggesting that shame may represent a key link between PTSD and suicidal ideation among veterans.
Limitations:
Although the reverse mediation effect was also examined, the present sample was cross-sectional and predominantly male.
Conclusions:
The present findings suggest that shame may be an effective point of treatment intervention to reduce suicidal ideation among veterans with PTSD; however, additional prospective research is still needed to delineate the precise nature of these associations over time.
More Related Videos
06:15A Multiple Integrated Social Stress Model for Psychiatric Disorders in Female C57BL/6J Mice
Published on: July 15, 2025
06:55An Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Protocol for Instigating Depressive Symptoms, Behavioral Changes and Negative Health Outcomes in Rodents
Published on: December 2, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
Asthma-III: Symptoms and Complications
Classification of Asthma
Pleural Effusion II: Symptoms and Management
A pleural effusion is the abnormal collection of fluid between the parietal and visceral pleura layers of tissue that form the lining of the lungs and chest cavity. It can occur independently or due to surrounding parenchymal diseases, such as infection, malignancy, or inflammatory conditions.
Clinical Manifestations: