Original Article

Firearm Ownership and Capability for Suicide in Post-Deployment National Guard Service Members

Corresponding Author

Simon B. Goldberg PhD

[email protected]

orcid.org/0000-0002-6888-0126

Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, USA

Address correspondence to Simon B. Goldberg, Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 335 Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall, Madison, WI, 53706;

E-mail: [email protected]

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Raymond P. Tucker PhD,

Raymond P. Tucker PhD

Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

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Maleeha Abbas PhD,

Maleeha Abbas PhD

Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, USA

VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA

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Megan E. Schultz BA,

Megan E. Schultz BA

William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA

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Michele Hiserodt BS,

Michele Hiserodt BS

William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA

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Kathryn A. Thomas MEd,

Kathryn A. Thomas MEd

Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, USA

William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA

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Michael D. Anestis PhD,

Michael D. Anestis PhD

University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA

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Mary F. Wyman PhD,

Mary F. Wyman PhD

orcid.org/0000-0001-5371-9105

William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA

School of Medicine & Public Health, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, USA

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Simon B. Goldberg PhD,

Corresponding Author

Simon B. Goldberg PhD

[email protected]

orcid.org/0000-0002-6888-0126

Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, USA

Address correspondence to Simon B. Goldberg, Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 335 Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall, Madison, WI, 53706;

E-mail: [email protected]

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Raymond P. Tucker PhD,

Raymond P. Tucker PhD

Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

Search for more papers by this author

Maleeha Abbas PhD,

Maleeha Abbas PhD

Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, USA

VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA

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Megan E. Schultz BA,

Megan E. Schultz BA

William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA

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Michele Hiserodt BS,

Michele Hiserodt BS

William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA

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Kathryn A. Thomas MEd,

Kathryn A. Thomas MEd

Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, USA

William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA

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Michael D. Anestis PhD,

Michael D. Anestis PhD

University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA

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Mary F. Wyman PhD,

Mary F. Wyman PhD

orcid.org/0000-0001-5371-9105

William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA

School of Medicine & Public Health, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, USA

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First published: 19 April 2019

https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12551

Citations: 11

The authors wish to acknowledge the time and effort put forth by the service member respondents and the significant contributions of Michelle M. Cornette, PhD, and other study team members at the Zablocki VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI. This work was supported in part by the Advanced Fellowship in Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and with resources and the use of facilities at the W.S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI. This content does not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

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Abstract

Objective

National Guard service members demonstrate increased suicide risk relative to the civilian population. One potential mechanism for this increased risk may be familiarity with and access to firearms following deployment. This study examined the association between firearm ownership, reasons for ownership, and firearm familiarity with a widely studied suicide risk factor—capability for suicide—among National Guard service members.

Method

Data were drawn from a cross-sectional survey of National Guard service members conducted immediately post-deployment in 2010. Service members (n = 2,292) completed measures of firearm ownership, firearm familiarity, and capability for suicide.

Results

Firearm ownership and increased firearm familiarity were associated with capability for suicide (d = 0.47 and r = .25, for firearm ownership and familiarity, respectively). When examined separately based on reason for ownership, owning a firearm for self-protection (d = 0.33) or owning a military weapon (d = 0.27) remained significantly associated with capability for suicide. In contrast, owning a firearm for hobby purposes did not (d = −0.07).

Conclusion

Our findings support theories emphasizing practical aspects of suicide (e.g., three-step theory) and suggest that owning firearms, in particular for self-protection, along with familiarity using firearms may be associated with greater capability for suicide.

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Citing Literature

Volume49, Issue6

December 2019

Pages 1668-1679

Firearm Ownership and Capability for Suicide in Post-Deployment National Guard Service Members

Abstract

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Firearm Ownership and Capability for Suicide in Post-Deployment National Guard Service Members

Abstract

Objective

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Conclusion

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