The Army's Use of Spirituality in the Prevention of Suicide

Abstract

Suicides in the Army have increased from 70 Soldiers in 2002 to a record-breaking 325 Soldiers in 2012. This paper examines the Army's use of spirituality in the prevention of suicide, with special attention to recent studies conducted by the Army, Army training programs, the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness program (CSF2), the concept of generic spirituality, and the prescribed chaplain role. It then considers the power of religion and spirituality in the prevention of suicide, reviews applicable psychological and psychiatric research on the topic, and presents the results of surveys of the American public and Soldiers regarding their attitudes toward religion and its efficacy. Finally, the paper focuses on an element not addressed in the Army's current suicide strategy -- religion as a protective factor for preventing suicides -- and offers recommendations to strengthen the program.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA589522

Entities

People

  • Joseph V. Ignazzitto Ii

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Army Training
  • Chaplains
  • Department Of Defense
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Health Services
  • Medical Personnel
  • Mental Health
  • Military Personnel
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychological Phenomena And Processes
  • Psychology
  • Religion
  • Students
  • Training
  • United States
  • War Colleges

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Military Training and Readiness Simulation
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.
  • Systems Analysis and Design