Loneliness and Depression Related to Reasons for Living in Military Personnel

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-1992

Department

Psychology

Abstract

To assess the relationships of loneliness and depression to reasons for living, 288 military enlistees took measures of each at their debriefings following completion of boot camp. Average scores showed that these enlisted personnel reported little depression or loneliness and indicated strong reasons for living. A stepwise multiple regression indicated that loneliness scores significantly predicted reasons for living, whereas depression did not add to the regression equation. Results suggest that these enlistees felt more capable of coping with life's demands and had stronger moral objections to suicide than other nonclinical groups. An implication is that loneliness might be a better suicide screening instrument in military personnel than depression.

Publication Title

Death Studies

Volume

16

Issue

2

First Page

183

Last Page

189

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