| Description |
Currently, identification of proximal risk factors of suicide is a primary focus of suicide research; however, knowledge of these risk factors is limited. Therefore, longitudinal studies aiming to identify proximal, time-varying predictors of suicidal behavior are needed to improve prediction and prevention of suicide behaviors. To date, several studies have reported significant associations among insomnia, suicide ideation, and suicidal behaviors. This study sought to examine the relationship between insomnia (ISI) and suicide risk (BSS) over time amongst a group of suicide ideators, single, and multiple suicide attempters who took part in a clinical trial comparing treatment as usual (TAU) to brief cognitive behavioral therapy (BCBT). Participants included 152 active-duty Army soldiers reporting past week suicide ideation with some intent and/or past month suicide attempt. Longitudinal growth modeling was used to test the effect of trajectories of variables, as well as to compare group means. Additionally, a two-intercept cross-lagged panel over time was created to determine if insomnia and suicide scores risk predict change at the next time point. BCBT participants experienced a significant negative trajectory of ISI, while TAU's trajectory was nonsignificant. Suicide ideators and single attempters reported similar baseline and end-of-study levels of ISI. No differences in ISI trajectories were observed between suicide status groups. A two-intercept cross-lagged panel over time was created to model the ability of previous BSS and ISI scores to predict change in the following time points. Previous variable measurements (t-1) significantly predicted change in following like-measurements, but did not predict change in the other variable (i.e., t-1 ISI did not predict change in BSS, t-1 BSS did not predict change in ISI). Results of analyses revealed that suicide status groups report similar baseline levels of insomnia and suicide risk; suicide status groups have similar trajectories in insomnia over time; and while insomnia and suicide risk change together over time, change in one does not predict change in the other. Overall, these findings suggest that insomnia is a co-occurring problem with suicide risk for individuals with suicidal thoughts and behaviors, but it does not influence fluctuations in suicide risk. |
