TY - JOUR
T1 - Loneliness partially mediates the relation between substance use and suicidality in Veterans
AU - Schafer, Katherine Musacchio
AU - Wilson-Lemoine, Emma
AU - Campione, Marie
AU - Dougherty, Sean
AU - Melia, Ruth
AU - Joiner, Thomas
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© This work was authored as part of the Contributor’s official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - America has experienced a rapid increase in loneliness, substance use, and suicidality. This increase is particularly deleterious for Veterans, who, as compared to nonmilitary-connected civilians, experience elevated rates of loneliness, substance use, and suicidality. In this project we investigated the link between loneliness, substance use, and suicidality, paying particular attention to the mediational role of loneliness between substance use and suicidality. 1,469 Veterans (male, n = 1004, 67.2%; female, n = 457, 32.3%; transgender/non-binary/prefer not to say, n = 8, 0.5%) answered online surveys in the Mental Health and Well-Being Project. Items assessed participants on psychosocial antecedents of health and wellness. Pearson correlations and mediational models were used to determine if loneliness, substance use, and suicidality were related and if loneliness mediated the link between substance use and suicidality. Results indicated that loneliness, substance use, and suicidality were significantly and positively related (rs =.33–.42, ps <.01). Additionally, loneliness partially mediated the link between substance use and suicidality (β =.08 [.06–.10]), suggesting that, within the context of substance use in Veterans, loneliness may account for significant variance in suicidality. Together findings suggest the Veterans Health Administration should support, fund, and study community engagement activities that could reduce the development or intensity of substance use, loneliness, and suicidality in Veterans.
AB - America has experienced a rapid increase in loneliness, substance use, and suicidality. This increase is particularly deleterious for Veterans, who, as compared to nonmilitary-connected civilians, experience elevated rates of loneliness, substance use, and suicidality. In this project we investigated the link between loneliness, substance use, and suicidality, paying particular attention to the mediational role of loneliness between substance use and suicidality. 1,469 Veterans (male, n = 1004, 67.2%; female, n = 457, 32.3%; transgender/non-binary/prefer not to say, n = 8, 0.5%) answered online surveys in the Mental Health and Well-Being Project. Items assessed participants on psychosocial antecedents of health and wellness. Pearson correlations and mediational models were used to determine if loneliness, substance use, and suicidality were related and if loneliness mediated the link between substance use and suicidality. Results indicated that loneliness, substance use, and suicidality were significantly and positively related (rs =.33–.42, ps <.01). Additionally, loneliness partially mediated the link between substance use and suicidality (β =.08 [.06–.10]), suggesting that, within the context of substance use in Veterans, loneliness may account for significant variance in suicidality. Together findings suggest the Veterans Health Administration should support, fund, and study community engagement activities that could reduce the development or intensity of substance use, loneliness, and suicidality in Veterans.
KW - loneliness
KW - Substance use
KW - suicidality
KW - Veterans
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85184202831&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/08995605.2024.2307669
DO - 10.1080/08995605.2024.2307669
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85184202831
SN - 0899-5605
JO - Military Psychology
JF - Military Psychology
ER -