Military Service, Depression, Belonging, and Suicidality Among College Students

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Suicide is a major cause of premature death, especially for young adults under 35.
• College student-veterans face unique stressors, potentially increasing their suicide risk.
• High rates of suicidal ideation and attempts are observed among college students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the link between military service history and suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts in college students.
• To determine if depressive symptoms and sense of belonging mediate these relationships.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 119,664 US college students (ages 18-45) from the 2020-2021 Healthy Minds Study.
• Generalized structural equation modeling was used to assess mediation by depression (PHQ-9) and belonging.
• Statistical adjustments were made for covariates and the complex survey design.

Main Results:

• Military service was linked to higher suicidal ideation (β = .391) and planning (β = .531), but not attempts (β = .637).
• Depression and low belonging strongly predicted suicidality.
• Belonging emerged as the sole significant mediator between military service and suicidal outcomes.

Conclusions:

• College students with military affiliation exhibit elevated risks for suicidal ideation and planning.
• Reduced sense of belonging partially accounts for the increased suicide risk in this population.
• Interventions promoting campus social integration for student-veterans may reduce suicide risk.