A Research of the Relationship between Childhood Maltreatment and Suicide: Does Support Increase The Risk of Suicide in Maltreated Children?

Abstract

This research focuses on the relationship between childhood maltreatment and suicide. The types of maltreatment that were included are physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional maltreatment and physical neglect, and suicide was operationalized by the factors suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and a combination of both. It was hypothesized that the types of maltreatment were all related to the suicide variables, and that these relationships are influenced by the variables negative self-concept, social support, teacher support, family support, relationship with parents, and present contact with parents. Results showed that there was hardly any significant direct relationship between the maltreatment types and suicide variables. Only sexual abuse was related with suicide attempts and suicide (total), and emotional maltreatment with suicide (total). When several risk/protective factors were added in a logistic regression analysis, ‘negative self-concept’ and teacher support were the most important risk factors, and ‘present contact with parents’ was the biggest protective factor of suicide in maltreated persons.