Combat exposure as moderator between risk, protective factors and suicide ideation for South African Army Infantry soldiers
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Date
2021
Authors
Mbhele, Phindile Ellina
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
The South African National Defence Force is a recruiting, and operational organisation with the protection of the country as primary function. Ironically, this large conglomerate of men and women tasked with this ideal function has been plagued by a consistently increasing manifestation of suicide acts. This behavioural pattern has been noted on a global scale and by its very nature presents a concern to military organisations around the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the current state of suicide ideation among South African Infantry soldiers of the SANDF, by examining the contribution of risk and resource factors as well as the role of combat exposure in affecting this relationship. A total of 1475 respondents were selected from nine South African Army Infantry units in various provinces in South Africa. The study followed a quantitative and non-experimental approach using a correlational and cross-sectional survey-type research design. Gathering data proceeded by using the following self-reporting measuring instruments: a biographical questionnaire compiled by the researcher, the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI), the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ), the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL). A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to determine the influence of various risk and resource factors on suicide ideation, and a stepwise regression analysis investigated the unique contributions of risk and resource factors on suicide ideation. To determine whether combat exposure moderated or mediated the relationship between the mentioned variables, a series of subset regression analyses that investigated suicide ideation as dependent variable in relation to independent resource variables (appraisal, tangible support, belonging, comprehensibility, manageability, and meaning) and risk variables (alcohol consumption, dependence, related problems, PTSD, and perceived stress) was conducted. The findings from this study indicate that the level of suicide ideation for the sample was considerably lower when compared with other international military samples. However, participants with combat exposure were categorised as among the high-risk group for suicide ideation. In the stepwise regression analysis, it was found that risk and resource variables collectively explained 16% of the variance of suicide ideation significant on the 1% level of significance. More specifically, four risk variables, namely perceived stress, alcohol-related problems, alcohol dependence, and PTSD, contributed to the increased level of suicide ideation among active duty members of the South African Army Infantry. In addition, seven protective variables (i.e., self-esteem, appraisal, belonging, comprehensibility, manageability, meaning, and tangible support) explained a combined 0.5% of the variance of suicide ideation. Consequently, it was found that only tangible support (subscale of ISEL) had made a significant contribution; it was associated negatively with suicide ideation. Combat exposure significantly influenced the reported level of suicide ideation in risk variables (i.e., alcohol-related problems, alcohol dependence, and PTSD) and the protective variable (i.e., tangible support) for infantry soldiers. From this study, it is recommended that future research focuses on exploring the current variables from the sample of deployed and non-deployed soldiers, the sample of soldiers exposed to and not exposed to combat, as well as gender differences as factors that moderate suicide ideation. The findings of this research contain essential baseline data that will be utilised by the military organisation toward developing mechanisms that assist soldiers in dealing with the debilitating effect of combat trauma by focusing on strengthening their coping resources such as tangible support.
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Keywords
Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2021, Suicide behaviour, Suicide ideation, Active duty service members, Combat exposure, Risk factors, Resource factors, Deployed infantry soldier, Non-deployed