{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,13]],"date-time":"2026-09-13T02:42:32Z","timestamp":1789267352741,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":56,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,5]],"date-time":"2024-11-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1730764800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Behavioral Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Multiple deployment factors may affect suicidality in combat veterans. The relationships between combat deployments and suicidality are complex and not completely understood. Studies of stress in the military and psychological effects of military actions are mostly focused on stressors relating to combat operations. However, many studies suggest that interactions within combat units affect post-deployment psychiatric conditions, suicidal ideation, and behavior. The goal of this article is to review and discuss how relationships within combat units may influence post-deployment suicide risk. Studies of the relationships within combat units are generally focused on two aspects: unit cohesion and harassment\/abuse. Considerable evidence suggests that service members who report strong unit cohesion have a lower risk of post-deployment psychiatric disorders and suicidal behavior. Studies examining deployment sexual and non-sexual harassment and abuse have found that combat veterans who experience harassment and abuse during deployment are at heightened post-deployment suicide risk. Sound post-deployment social support and the efficient treatment of psychiatric disorders may mitigate the suicide risk associated with adverse relationships within combat units. Improvements in units\u2019 cohesion and the prevention of harassment\/abuse during a military deployment are necessary to reduce post-deployment psychiatric pathology, including suicidal behavior.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/bs14111040","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,5]],"date-time":"2024-11-05T05:30:53Z","timestamp":1730784653000},"page":"1040","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["The Impact of Relationships Within Combat Units on Post-Deployment Suicide Risk"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7729-3222","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Leo","family":"Sher","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Inpatient Psychiatry, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, New York, NY 10468, USA"},{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA"},{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Institute for Economics & Peace (2024, August 17). Global Peace Index 2024: Measuring Peace in a Complex World. Sydney, June 2024. Available online: http:\/\/visionofhumanity.org\/resources."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Brown University Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs (2024, August 14). Costs of War. August 2024. Available online: https:\/\/watson.brown.edu\/costsofwar\/costs\/human\/veterans."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"U.S. Census Bureau (2024, August 14). Veterans Glossary. 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