Research has established a link between agitation and insomnia, both of which are considered to be risk factors for suicide. The present study aimed to investigate the moderating role of agitation within the relationship between insomnia and current suicidal ideation in a sample of U.S. military personnel. Consistent with hypotheses, the relationship between insomnia and current suicidal ideation was significant only at high levels of agitation. Results support previous findings indicating that both insomnia and agitation are suicide risk factors. These findings clarify the role of known risk factors in the pathway to suicide and may contribute to the advancement of suicide detection and prevention, as these factors may be more easily identified in individuals unwilling to admit thoughts of death and suicide, such as many military personnel.
Keywords: agitation; insomnia; military; risk factors; suicide.