The Relation between Self-Concealment and Self-Reported Mental Health Symptoms in a Sample of Canadian Armed Forces Personnel

Abstract

The current research investigated the association between self-concealment and mental health in a sample of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel. More specifically, we examined the associations between self-concealment, a personality trait associated with one’s tendency to conceal negative personal information and feelings, and one’s suicide ideation, psychological distress, and hazardous and harmful alcohol use. Personnel who reported higher levels of self-concealment also reported higher levels of mental health symptoms. Furthermore, we present receiver operating characteristic curve analyses for predicting at-risk status for suicide, psychological distress, and hazardous and harmful alcohol use from self-concealment.

Keywords:

• Self-concealment
• suicide ideation
• military sample
• psychological distress
• alcohol use
• personality
• mental health
• stigma

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Megan Thompson and Dr. Peter Kwantes for their guidance and insight on this work.