Perceived Abuse and Neglect as Risk Factors for Suicidal Behavior in Adolescent Inpatients

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess relative risk of histories of different types of abuse (sexual, physical, and emotional) and neglect (physical and emotional) for suicidal behavior (attempts, ideation, and self-mutilation) in psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents. Seventy-one adolescent inpatients (34 boys, 37 girls) completed self-report measures of abuse and neglect, current suicidal ideation, and lifetime suicide and self-mutilation attempts. The prevalence of sexual and physical abuse was 37.5% and 43.7%, respectively, with 31.3% and 61% of youngsters reporting emotional and physical neglect. Fifty-one percent of youngsters had made suicide attempts, and 39% had self-mutilated. Suicide attempters were significantly more likely to be female, Latino, to report sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, and to endorse emotional neglect. In multivariate analyses, female gender, sexual abuse, and emotional neglect remained significant predictors of self-mutilation and suicidal ideation. Female gender and sexual abuse remained significant predictors of suicide attempts. These findings suggest that emotional neglect is an important and deleterious component of maltreatment experiences and may be a more powerful predictor of suicidal behavior in hospitalized adolescents than physical abuse, emotional abuse, and physical neglect.

Child maltreatment, non-suicidal self-injury, and the mediating role of self-criticism

“…Our results indicate that both sexual abuse and physical neglect are associated with NSSI, which is consistent with some prior research on this relation (Joiner et al, 2007;Lipschitz et al, 1999;Simpson & Porter, 1992). This investigation is the first to our knowledge to also document a strong relation between childhood emotional abuse and NSSI.…”

Sexual and physical abuse among Korean female inpatients with schizophrenia

“…Again, correlations with promiscuity, runaway, or suicidal attempts were described elsewhere (e.g., Bartoi & Kinder, 1998;Hartman, Burgess, & McCormack, 1987;Kelly et al, 1992;Lipschitz, Winegar, Nicolaou, Hartnick, Wolfson, & Southwick, 1999;Stiffman, 1989). Significant associations of nonpsychotic distress symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depression, somatization, and dissociation) with abuse also replicate previous reports (Bryer, Nelson, Miller, & Krol, 1987;Goff, Brotman, Kindlon, Waites, & Amico, 1991;.…”

Life adversities and suicidal behavior in young individuals: a systematic review

“…Lipschitz and colleagues [39], who conducted a cross-sectional study on 71 adolescent inpatients, found that emotional neglect was a significant predictor of both suicide attempts and self-mutilation. They also reported that emotional neglect was more strongly associated with suicidal ideation and self-mutilation than physical abuse or physical neglect.…”