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U.S. combat veterans' responses to suicide and combat deaths: A mixed-methods study
Pauline Lubens1, Roxane Cohen Silver2
1Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697-3957, USA.
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|August 3, 2019
Summary
Combat veterans experience complex grief from comrade deaths. Suicide loss makes acceptance harder, while combat exposure, anger, and depression predict higher grief levels.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Military and Veterans Affairs
- Sociology
Background:
- Limited research exists on combat veterans' grief following comrade deaths.
- Understanding the nuances of grief from combat versus suicide is crucial for veteran support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the grief process experienced by post-9/11 U.S. combat veterans who lost comrades.
- To identify factors predicting the level of grief in this population.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods approach combining semi-structured interviews (N=28) and online surveys (N=178).
- Participants were U.S. combat veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts who lost comrades to combat or suicide.
- Surveys assessed grief, combat exposure, unit cohesion, anger, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and mental health diagnoses.
Main Results:
- Interview themes revealed differences in grief acceptance based on death type (suicide vs. combat).
- Suicide loss predicted non-acceptance; combat exposure, anger, closeness to deceased, and prior depression predicted higher grief.
- Combat exposure was a strong predictor for both grief and PTSS.
Conclusions:
- Veteran grief is a significant, under-researched consequence of war with broad public health implications.
- Findings underscore the distinct impact of suicide versus combat deaths on veteran grief and acceptance.
- Interventions should consider the unique stressors and psychological factors influencing veteran bereavement.