(PS10-68) Relationship Between Posttraumatic Cognition Dimensions and Suicidal Ideation Severity Among Veterans

Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at heightened risk for experiencing suicidal ideation (SI), highlighting the need to understand factors that may influence this relationship. Negative posttraumatic cognitions, dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs related to the cognitive processing of a traumatic event, have been implicated as an etiological and maintenance factor for both PTSD and SI. Posttraumatic cognitions, as measured by the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory, are conceptualized into three dimensions: negative cognitions about the self (NCAS), negative cognitions about the world (NCAW), and self-blame (SB). Previous work has demonstrated that NCAS, as opposed to NCAW and SB, evinces the strongest association with SI, though few studies have examined this notion among veterans, a population known to experience disproportionally high rates of both PTSD and SI. A sample of 214 trauma-exposed veterans (M_age = 55.46, SD = 14.88; 75% male; 54% Black) presented to an outpatient clinic at a large southeastern Veterans Affairs Hospital for psychological services. Participants were asked to complete a brief battery of self-report questionnaires assessing the relationship between trauma and suicide. The Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI-9), a 9-item self-report measure, was used to assess posttraumatic cognitions, while the Depressive Symptom Index-Suicidality Subscale (DSI-SS), a 4-item self-report measure, was used to assess SI severity. A multiple regression model was conducted to examine the associations between PTCI-9 subscales and SI. Posttraumatic cognitions accounted for 22% of the variance in SI severity (p < .001). Consistent with previous literature, NCAS were positively and significantly associated with DSI-SS scores (β = .43, p < .001), whereas NCAB and SB were not (p’s > .423). Results revealed that NCAS is a relevant, malleable factor that contributes to SI severity. These findings suggest it may be integral to specifically address NCAS in interventions targeting a reduction in SI among veterans with PTSD.