Perspectives of Suicide Bereaved Individuals on Military Suicide Decedents’ Life Stressors and Male Gender Role Stress

The objective of this study was to pilot the newly developed Male Gender Role Stressor Inventory (MGRSI) in military suicide bereaved (i.e., decedents’ family members and significant others) and to determine the association between Male Gender Role Stress (MGRS) and other life stressors observed by survivors. Sixty-five survivors attending a national survivor seminar completed original surveys, reporting demographic information about themselves and the decedent and observations of the decedent's life stressors during the 1-month and 1-year periods prior to death. The MGRSI obtained acceptable internal reliability (α =.76) and indicated that factors including honor, strength, and achievement were the most commonly reported sources of MGRS. Correlational and regression analyses revealed that legal- and trauma-related stressors 1 month prior to suicide were significantly associated with MGRSI score. MGRS may contribute to a better understanding of military male suicide. The Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration may benefit from suicide prevention programs targeting rigid male gender role beliefs and male-specific stressors.