Perceptions of Mental Health Crisis among U.S. Military Veteran Peer Mentors and Potential of Mobile-Based Peer-Support Interventions

Abstract

U.S. military veterans face an elevated risk of suicide or exhibiting suicidal behaviors. Peer-support interventions have proven to be effective for veterans because of their shared experience and community. However, as veterans might face a mental health crisis at any time, it is crucial that the mentors can identify their peers' crisis warning signs early enough. Mobile technology has the potential to facilitate and improve peer-to-peer communication. Gaining an understanding of how the veteran community perceives crisis symptoms, as well as their values and technological needs, bears utmost importance in creating any tool or adopting any strategy. Hence, we conducted a mixed-methods study with twelve peer mentor military veterans. Our research offers an in-depth understanding of the nuanced conceptions of mentor veterans about early warning signals and acute mental health crisis symptoms, as well as aspects of technology that may aid this community in recognizing and managing these symptoms.