Staff Perspective: Protective Factors for Veterans at Risk for Suicide
In our suicide prevention trainings at CDP, we discuss current theories of suicide risk, specifically emphasizing those of that fall within the “ideation-to-action framework” (Klonsky & May, 2016). This framework posits that the development of suicidal ideation and the progression from ideation to suicide attempts are distinct processes with distinct explanations. In conjunction with this discussion, we also spend a substantial amount of time talking about risk and protective factors, both in the civilian population and among military-connected individuals.
Given that context, I wanted to share an article I recently read that looks specifically at risk and protective factors distinguishing U.S. veterans with a history of suicidal ideation from those who have made a suicide attempt (Cenker & Zalta, 2025). These authors analyzed data from 620 veterans with a history of suicidal ideation or attempts; this sample was drawn from the Military Health and Well-Being Project, a national survey of approximately 1,500 post-Vietnam U.S. veterans.
Cenker and Zalta found that veterans with a history of past attempts reported higher levels of moral injury, loneliness, and substance use than those who had only experienced suicidal ideation. In addition, those with past attempts also reported lower levels of meaning and purpose in life and lower levels of social support. These findings suggest that the transition from suicidal thoughts to behavior in veterans is associated with more intense psychosocial stressors alongside fewer protective resources.
Last year during Suicide Prevention month, I wrote a blog looking at suicide risk during the transition from military to civilian life. Data has shown that the first year following separation from the military is one of increased risk for Service members (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2024). During this period of transition, Service members may experience disruptions of personal identity, including a sharp contrast between military and civilian values (Sokol, et al., 2021). They may also experience disruptions to social connections during this period of transition, including a simultaneous loss of military social connections and difficulty rebuilding civilian ones (Sokol, et al., 2021). Thus, Cenker and Zalta’s (2025) findings, which highlight the protective nature of both meaning and purpose in life and social support, provide additional evidence that these are particularly salient clinical targets in this population.
The opinions in CDP Staff Perspective blogs are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Science or the Department of Defense.
Marjorie Weinstock, Ph.D., is a counseling psychologist currently serving as an Associate Director at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.
References:
Cenker, D. P., & Zalto, A. K. (2025). Risk and protective factors that distinguish United States
veterans with a history of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. Journal of Psychiatric
Research, 188, 126-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.05.059
Klonsky, D.E., May, A. M., & Saffer, B. Y. (2016). Suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal
ideation. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 12(1), 307-330.
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-021815-093204
Sokol, Y., Gromatsky, M., Edwards, E. R., Greene, A. L., Geraci, J. C., Harris, R. E., & Goodman,
M. (2021). The deadly gap: Understanding suicide among veterans transitioning out of
the military. Psychiatric Research, 300, 113875.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113875
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Suicide Prevention. (2024). 2024 National
veteran suicide prevention annual report: Part 2 of 2: Report findings.
https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/2024/2024-Annual-Report-Part-2-
of-2_508.pdf
In our suicide prevention trainings at CDP, we discuss current theories of suicide risk, specifically emphasizing those of that fall within the “ideation-to-action framework” (Klonsky & May, 2016). This framework posits that the development of suicidal ideation and the progression from ideation to suicide attempts are distinct processes with distinct explanations. In conjunction with this discussion, we also spend a substantial amount of time talking about risk and protective factors, both in the civilian population and among military-connected individuals.
Given that context, I wanted to share an article I recently read that looks specifically at risk and protective factors distinguishing U.S. veterans with a history of suicidal ideation from those who have made a suicide attempt (Cenker & Zalta, 2025). These authors analyzed data from 620 veterans with a history of suicidal ideation or attempts; this sample was drawn from the Military Health and Well-Being Project, a national survey of approximately 1,500 post-Vietnam U.S. veterans.
Cenker and Zalta found that veterans with a history of past attempts reported higher levels of moral injury, loneliness, and substance use than those who had only experienced suicidal ideation. In addition, those with past attempts also reported lower levels of meaning and purpose in life and lower levels of social support. These findings suggest that the transition from suicidal thoughts to behavior in veterans is associated with more intense psychosocial stressors alongside fewer protective resources.
Last year during Suicide Prevention month, I wrote a blog looking at suicide risk during the transition from military to civilian life. Data has shown that the first year following separation from the military is one of increased risk for Service members (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2024). During this period of transition, Service members may experience disruptions of personal identity, including a sharp contrast between military and civilian values (Sokol, et al., 2021). They may also experience disruptions to social connections during this period of transition, including a simultaneous loss of military social connections and difficulty rebuilding civilian ones (Sokol, et al., 2021). Thus, Cenker and Zalta’s (2025) findings, which highlight the protective nature of both meaning and purpose in life and social support, provide additional evidence that these are particularly salient clinical targets in this population.
The opinions in CDP Staff Perspective blogs are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Science or the Department of Defense.
Marjorie Weinstock, Ph.D., is a counseling psychologist currently serving as an Associate Director at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.
References:
Cenker, D. P., & Zalto, A. K. (2025). Risk and protective factors that distinguish United States
veterans with a history of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. Journal of Psychiatric
Research, 188, 126-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.05.059
Klonsky, D.E., May, A. M., & Saffer, B. Y. (2016). Suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal
ideation. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 12(1), 307-330.
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-021815-093204
Sokol, Y., Gromatsky, M., Edwards, E. R., Greene, A. L., Geraci, J. C., Harris, R. E., & Goodman,
M. (2021). The deadly gap: Understanding suicide among veterans transitioning out of
the military. Psychiatric Research, 300, 113875.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113875
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Suicide Prevention. (2024). 2024 National
veteran suicide prevention annual report: Part 2 of 2: Report findings.
https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/2024/2024-Annual-Report-Part-2-
of-2_508.pdf