Suicide ideation and self-efficacy to avoid suicidal action among psychiatrically hospitalized military personnel

•A modified version of the Self-Efficacy to Avoid Suicidal Action (SEASA) was evaluated in suicidal military personnel.•Lower self-efficacy to avoid suicidal action was significantly associated with more severe current and worst time point suicide ideation.•Lower self-efficacy to avoid suicidal action was significantly associated with a history of multiple suicide attempts.•The construct of self-efficacy to avoid suicidal action has important clinical and research implications for suicide prevention. Individuals with suicide ideation require self-efficacy to avoid engagement in suicidal behaviors. Low self-efficacy has been examined as a risk indicator for suicidal behaviors. The Self-Efficacy to Avoid Suicidal Action (SEASA) scale assesses self-efficacy to resist suicidal urges and was originally evaluated in a sample of adults receiving treatment for substance use disorders. The goal of this study was to explore the link between suicide ideation and self-efficacy to avoid suicidal action among a high-risk group of psychiatric inpatients. Military personnel psychiatrically hospitalized following a suicide-related event (N = 139) completed a modified version of the SEASA and provided a full history of suicidal behaviors. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Severity of worst time point suicide ideation, endorsement of any current suicide ideation, and history of multiple lifetime suicide attempts were associated with lower self-efficacy to avoid suicidal action. Self-efficacy to avoid engagement in suicidal action is a belief that can be strengthened and practiced within evidence-based treatments such as cognitive behavior therapy for suicide prevention. Thus, providers are encouraged to target this type of self-efficacy in case conceptualization and treatment planning. Future research on how self-efficacy to avoid suicidal action can be effectively measured are needed.