Rodríguez José R, Quiñones-Maldonado Randy, Alvarado-Pomales Awilda
Department of General Social Science, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Bol Asoc Med P R. 2009 Jul-Sep;101(3):33-41.
Soldier suicide rates, unfortunately, continue to rise in our military services. It is well known that military personnel are highly vulnerable to multiple psychopathologies due to a lack of social support system, traumatizing life events and deprived sense of control. Serious psychopathologies such as post-traumatic stress disorders, other anxiety disorders (i.e., generalized anxiety disorder) and depression may increase the risk of suicide. In addition, malingering may be a serious problem that can affect valid treatment due to an intentional production of false or grossly exaggerated physical or psychological symptoms, motivated by external incentive such as avoiding military duty or obtaining financial compensation. Moreover, Hispanic soldiers may be at a higher risk for such psychopathologies due to extreme marginalization conditions by military peers, lack of bilingual language management and discrimination that can severely affect their quality of life. Thus, it is important to recognize those problems in order to prevent them. Literature demonstrate that Primary Preventive Interventions (PPI) can help to reduce the incidence of psychiatric disorders due to an early identification of the mental conditions associate to serious outcome, such as suicide. Taking the previous factors into consideration, the relevant literature pertaining suicidality in service members and the mental disorders associated with it is reviewed. Furthermore, emphasis is made in the importance to develop and validate a battery of screening instruments that address the previous conditions in the military personnel, especially in the Hispanic/Latino soldier and/or veteran as future plans of interventions. This implies the creation, adaptation and administration of a Psychological Battery that will be culturally sensitive for Hispanic/Latino soldiers in which the screening of the previously mentioned pathologies and conditions can be identified. This may help to prevent serious psychological situations and extreme irreversible damage, such as suicide.
不幸的是，我们军队中的士兵自杀率持续上升。众所周知，由于缺乏社会支持系统、经历创伤性的生活事件以及缺乏掌控感，军事人员极易患上多种精神疾病。诸如创伤后应激障碍、其他焦虑症（如广泛性焦虑症）和抑郁症等严重精神疾病可能会增加自杀风险。此外，装病可能是一个严重问题，由于故意制造虚假或严重夸大的身体或心理症状，受逃避兵役或获得经济补偿等外部诱因驱使，会影响有效治疗。此外，西班牙裔士兵可能因受到军事同伴的极端边缘化、缺乏双语语言管理以及歧视等严重影响其生活质量的因素，而面临更高的患此类精神疾病的风险。因此，认识到这些问题以预防它们很重要。文献表明，初级预防干预（PPI）有助于降低精神疾病的发病率，因为它能早期识别与严重后果（如自杀）相关的心理状况。考虑到上述因素，本文回顾了与军人自杀倾向及其相关精神障碍的相关文献。此外，强调了开发和验证一系列筛查工具的重要性，这些工具应解决军事人员尤其是西班牙裔/拉丁裔士兵和/或退伍军人的上述状况，作为未来的干预计划。这意味着创建、改编和管理一套心理测试组，该测试组对西班牙裔/拉丁裔士兵具有文化敏感性，能够识别上述病理和状况。这可能有助于预防严重的心理状况和极端不可逆转的损害，如自杀。
