Suicide prevention in the military: a mechanistic perspective

Abstract

In response to elevated suicide rates among U.S. military personnel, increased attention has focused on developing effective suicide prevention intervention strategies. Accumulating evidence from a series of recently-completed clinical trials focused on the treatment of suicide risk and posttraumatic stress disorder suggest two likely mechanisms of action for reducing suicidal thoughts and behaviors: emotion regulation and cognitive flexibility. The present article provides an overview of converging evidence from psychological, biological, and neurocognitive studies supporting the central role of emotion regulation and cognitive flexibility. The effects of various treatments on suicidal thoughts and behaviors, aggregated from seven clinical trials conducted with military personnel, are considered using this integrated clinical science perspective. Implications for intervention refinement and suicide prevention among military personnel are discussed.