- Latent profile analysis identified five distinct VCLI subgroups based on criminogenic needs and PTSD symptom patterns, including low, avoidant, threat-reactivity, and high-risk profiles.
- Membership in the "high" and "posttraumatic stress symptoms" profiles was significantly associated with prior suicide attempts, indicating markedly elevated suicide risk.
- Subgroup identification can guide targeted suicide-prevention and recidivism-reduction interventions and inform practice and policy for Veterans with criminal-legal involvement.
Psychol Serv. 2026 Sep 3. doi: 10.1037/ser0001077. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Veterans with criminal-legal system involvement (VCLI) are a vital group requiring special attention in suicide-prevention efforts. Notably, there is significant overlap between risk factors for legal system involvement and suicide, particularly criminogenic needs and posttraumatic stress symptoms. To identify patterns of co-occurrence among these factors, latent profile analysis was conducted in a subgroup of VCLI from an epidemiological sample of adults in the community (N = 522). Based on six criminogenic needs and four posttraumatic stress symptom indicators, results supported five unique subgroups of VCLI characterized by lowest endorsement across indicators (“low” profile, 55.4%); high endorsement of avoidance symptoms (“avoidant” profile, 23.6%); high endorsement across all posttraumatic stress symptom criteria and low-to-moderate endorsement of criminogenic needs (“posttraumatic stress symptoms” profile, 11.7%); high endorsement of hyperarousal/reactivity symptoms and elevated endorsement of intrusion/re-experiencing symptoms, education/employment difficulties, antisocial attitudes/orientation, and antisocial personality/behavior (“threat-reactivity” profile, 5.2%); and highest endorsement across nearly all posttraumatic stress symptoms and criminogenic needs, particularly characterized by high antisocial attitudes/orientation, antisocial personality/behavior, and substance abuse (“high” profile, 4.2%). A logistic regression analysis supported a significant relationship between profile membership and a history of suicide attempt for the “high” and “posttraumatic stress symptoms” profiles, corresponding to elevated rates of endorsement for these groups. The current findings suggest that the identification of subgroups of VCLI may be helpful in identifying which VCLI are especially important to address in suicide-prevention efforts and recidivism risk prevention efforts. Practice and policy implications of the present study’s results are discussed, and future directions for research are proposed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
PMID:42691272 | DOI:10.1037/ser0001077
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