NSSI among Military Service Members and Veterans

Abstract This chapter discusses nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among military service members and veterans. Though NSSI typically emerges and is most prevalent during adolescence and young adulthood, research examining NSSI in service members—who represent a younger demographic of military personnel—is limited in quantity. Existing literature reporting NSSI prevalence rates among service members varies, and initial lifetime estimates among nonclinical samples are low. As with rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, NSSI prevalence rates tend to be higher among veterans or combined military personnel samples compared to service members alone. The chapter then looks at demographic differences in NSSI rates among military service members and veterans, considering gender, sexual and gender minority status, age and military service era, and race and ethnicity. It studies the relationship between NSSI and affect-related conditions, suicide risk, trauma exposure, substance use, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The chapter also assesses the forms and functions of NSSI in service members and veterans before exploring future directions for assessment and treatment of NSSI in military personnel.