Author ORCID Identifier
0009-0005-9981-9191
Defense Date
2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Social Work
First Advisor
Karen Chartier
Second Advisor
Denise Burnette
Third Advisor
Alexis Edwards
Fourth Advisor
Daniel Baslock
Abstract
Veteran suicide rates remain higher than those of nonveterans, yet many veterans who die by suicide are not engaged in care prior to death. Veteran help-seeking research often focuses on healthcare utilization, overlooking informal sources of support and the decision-making processes that precede service use. Connectedness is a central protective factor in suicide theory but has received limited attention within help-seeking models. This study examined how connectedness influences veterans’ willingness to seek help. Guided by the Andersen Behavioral Model and the Three-Step Theory of Suicide, this secondary analysis used data from the Military Health and Well-Being Project. The analytic sample included 400 veterans who separated from service between 2010 and 2020. Hierarchical linear regression models examined the contribution of connectedness-related enabling factors on help-seeking willingness, the unique association of suicidality with willingness to seek help, and whether the association between need factors and willingness to seek help depends on veterans’ level of connectedness. Sensitivity analyses examined veterans within five years of separation and gender-stratified subsamples. Connectedness was statistically significantly associated with willingness to seek help beyond traditional Andersen Behavioral Model factors. Psychological health was the only statistically significant need factor in the final model. Suicidality was not uniquely associated with willingness to seek help after adjustment, and interaction effects were not statistically significant. Sensitivity analyses were largely consistent, except physical health was associated with help-seeking willingness among men. Findings support incorporating connectedness as a relational enabling factor within help-seeking models and suggest that strengthening connectedness may promote help-seeking among veterans.
Rights
© Samuel Ochinang
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
6-17-2026