The effect of sexual abuse and dissociation on suicide attempt
Abstract Background Suicide attempt is the most predictive risk factor of suicide. Trauma – especially sexual abuse – is a risk factor for suicide attempt and suicide. A common reaction to sexual abuse is dissociation. Higher levels of dissociation are linked to self-harm, suicide ideation, and suic...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03662-9 |
| _version_ | 1798026207637274624 |
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| author | Silje Støle Brokke Thomas Bjerregaard Bertelsen Nils Inge Landrø Vegard Øksendal Haaland |
| author_facet | Silje Støle Brokke Thomas Bjerregaard Bertelsen Nils Inge Landrø Vegard Øksendal Haaland |
| author_sort | Silje Støle Brokke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Suicide attempt is the most predictive risk factor of suicide. Trauma – especially sexual abuse – is a risk factor for suicide attempt and suicide. A common reaction to sexual abuse is dissociation. Higher levels of dissociation are linked to self-harm, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt, but the role of dissociation in suicidal behavior is unclear. Methods In this naturalistic study, ninety-seven acute psychiatric patients with suicidal ideation, of whom 32 had experienced sexual abuse, were included. Suicidal behaviour was assessed with The Columbia suicide history form (CSHF). The Brief trauma questionnaire (BTQ) was used to identify sexual abuse. Dissociative symptoms were assessed with Dissociative experiences scale (DES). Results Patients who had experienced sexual abuse reported higher levels of dissociation and were younger at onset of suicidal thoughts, more likely to self-harm, and more likely to have attempted suicide; and they had made more suicide attempts. Mediation analysis found dissociative experiences to significantly mediate a substantive proportion of the relationship between sexual abuse and number of suicide attempts (indirect effects = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.05, 0.28, proportion mediated = 68%). Dissociative experiences significantly mediated the role of sexual abuse as a predictor of being in the patient group with more than four suicide attempts (indirect effects = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.19, proportion mediated = 34%). Conclusion The results illustrate the importance of assessment and treatment of sexual abuse and trauma-related symptoms such as dissociation in suicide prevention. Dissociation can be a contributing factor to why some people act on their suicidal thoughts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:31:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-014603d3a7b9418f871776dc13a28931 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:31:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-014603d3a7b9418f871776dc13a289312022-12-22T04:09:25ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2022-01-012211810.1186/s12888-021-03662-9The effect of sexual abuse and dissociation on suicide attemptSilje Støle Brokke0Thomas Bjerregaard Bertelsen1Nils Inge Landrø2Vegard Øksendal Haaland3Department of Psychiatry, Sørlandet Hospital HFDepartment for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Sørlandet HospitalClinical Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of OsloClinical Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of OsloAbstract Background Suicide attempt is the most predictive risk factor of suicide. Trauma – especially sexual abuse – is a risk factor for suicide attempt and suicide. A common reaction to sexual abuse is dissociation. Higher levels of dissociation are linked to self-harm, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt, but the role of dissociation in suicidal behavior is unclear. Methods In this naturalistic study, ninety-seven acute psychiatric patients with suicidal ideation, of whom 32 had experienced sexual abuse, were included. Suicidal behaviour was assessed with The Columbia suicide history form (CSHF). The Brief trauma questionnaire (BTQ) was used to identify sexual abuse. Dissociative symptoms were assessed with Dissociative experiences scale (DES). Results Patients who had experienced sexual abuse reported higher levels of dissociation and were younger at onset of suicidal thoughts, more likely to self-harm, and more likely to have attempted suicide; and they had made more suicide attempts. Mediation analysis found dissociative experiences to significantly mediate a substantive proportion of the relationship between sexual abuse and number of suicide attempts (indirect effects = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.05, 0.28, proportion mediated = 68%). Dissociative experiences significantly mediated the role of sexual abuse as a predictor of being in the patient group with more than four suicide attempts (indirect effects = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.19, proportion mediated = 34%). Conclusion The results illustrate the importance of assessment and treatment of sexual abuse and trauma-related symptoms such as dissociation in suicide prevention. Dissociation can be a contributing factor to why some people act on their suicidal thoughts.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03662-9Sexual abuseTraumaDissociationSuicidal behaviorSuicide attempt |
| spellingShingle | Silje Støle Brokke Thomas Bjerregaard Bertelsen Nils Inge Landrø Vegard Øksendal Haaland The effect of sexual abuse and dissociation on suicide attempt BMC Psychiatry Sexual abuse Trauma Dissociation Suicidal behavior Suicide attempt |
| title | The effect of sexual abuse and dissociation on suicide attempt |
| title_full | The effect of sexual abuse and dissociation on suicide attempt |
| title_fullStr | The effect of sexual abuse and dissociation on suicide attempt |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of sexual abuse and dissociation on suicide attempt |
| title_short | The effect of sexual abuse and dissociation on suicide attempt |
| title_sort | effect of sexual abuse and dissociation on suicide attempt |
| topic | Sexual abuse Trauma Dissociation Suicidal behavior Suicide attempt |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03662-9 |
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