The British Journal of Psychiatry (2008) 193: 134-139. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.107.037994
© 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Predicting suicide attempts in young adults with histories of childhood abuse

Jelena Brezo, PhD

McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center

Joel Paris, MD

Department of Psychiatry, McGill University

Frank Vitaro, PhD, GRIP

University of Montreal

Martine Hébert, PhD

Department of Sexology, University of Quebec

Richard E. Tremblay, PhD, GRIP

University of Montreal

Gustavo Turecki, MD, PhD

McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, and Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Correspondence: Dr Gustavo Turecki, McGill Group for Suicide Studies, 6875 Boulevard LaSalle, Montreal, Quebec H4H 1R3, Canada. Email: gustavo.turecki{at}mcgill.ca

Declaration of interest

None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background

Although childhood abuse is an important correlate of suicidality, not all individuals who were abused as children attempt suicide.

Aims

To identify correlates and moderators of suicide attempts in adults reporting childhood physical abuse, contact sexual abuse, or both.

Method

A French–Canadian, school-based cohort (n=1684) was prospectively followed.

Results

The identity of the abuser moderated the relationship of abuse frequency and suicide attempts, with individuals abused by their immediate family being at highest risk. Although paternal education exhibited negative associations (OR=0.71, 95% CI 0.58–0.88), several externalising phenotypes had positive associations with suicide attempts: disruptive disorders (OR=3.10, 95% CI 1.05–9.15), conduct problems (OR=1.09, 95% CI 1.01–1.19) and childhood aggression (OR=1.41, 95% CI 1.08–1.83).

Conclusions

Characteristics of the abuser and abusive acts may be important additional indicators of risk for suicide attempts. Future research needs to employ developmental approaches to examine the extent and mechanisms by which childhood abuse contributes to the shared variance of suicidality, maladaptive traits and psychopathology.


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