Sexual abuse and suicidal behavior: a model constructed from a large community sample of adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate relationships between self-reported sexual abuse, depression, hopelessness, and suicidality in a community sample of adolescents. METHOD: In 1995, students (mean age 13 years) from 27 high schools in Australia (n = 2,603) completed a questionnaire including measures of dep...

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Main Authors: Bergen, H, Martin, G, Richardson, A, Allison, S, Roeger, L
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2003
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author Bergen, H
Martin, G
Richardson, A
Allison, S
Roeger, L
author_facet Bergen, H
Martin, G
Richardson, A
Allison, S
Roeger, L
author_sort Bergen, H
collection OXFORD
description OBJECTIVE: To investigate relationships between self-reported sexual abuse, depression, hopelessness, and suicidality in a community sample of adolescents. METHOD: In 1995, students (mean age 13 years) from 27 high schools in Australia (n = 2,603) completed a questionnaire including measures of depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), hopelessness, sexual abuse, and suicidality. Data analysis included logistic regression. RESULTS: Sexual abuse is associated with suicidality, both directly and indirectly through hopelessness and depressive symptoms in the model developed. High suicide risk (behavior exceeding thoughts such as plans and threats, or deliberate self-injury) is strongly correlated with suicide attempts (odds ratio 28.8, 95% CI 16-52, p <.001). Hopelessness is associated with high suicide risk only, whereas depressive symptoms are associated with high suicide risk and attempts. Hopelessness is more strongly associated with sexual abuse in boys than girls. Depressive symptoms are more strongly associated with high suicide risk in girls than boys. Controlling for other variables, sexual abuse is independently associated with suicide attempts in girls but not boys. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical assessment should consider gender differences in relationships between sexual abuse, depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and suicidality. Sexually abused girls may be at increased risk of attempting suicide, independent of other psychopathology.
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spelling oxford-uuid:b5f064d4-e7e6-4e05-a6e6-d719d45e06f02022-03-27T04:37:17ZSexual abuse and suicidal behavior: a model constructed from a large community sample of adolescents.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:b5f064d4-e7e6-4e05-a6e6-d719d45e06f0EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2003Bergen, HMartin, GRichardson, AAllison, SRoeger, L OBJECTIVE: To investigate relationships between self-reported sexual abuse, depression, hopelessness, and suicidality in a community sample of adolescents. METHOD: In 1995, students (mean age 13 years) from 27 high schools in Australia (n = 2,603) completed a questionnaire including measures of depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), hopelessness, sexual abuse, and suicidality. Data analysis included logistic regression. RESULTS: Sexual abuse is associated with suicidality, both directly and indirectly through hopelessness and depressive symptoms in the model developed. High suicide risk (behavior exceeding thoughts such as plans and threats, or deliberate self-injury) is strongly correlated with suicide attempts (odds ratio 28.8, 95% CI 16-52, p <.001). Hopelessness is associated with high suicide risk only, whereas depressive symptoms are associated with high suicide risk and attempts. Hopelessness is more strongly associated with sexual abuse in boys than girls. Depressive symptoms are more strongly associated with high suicide risk in girls than boys. Controlling for other variables, sexual abuse is independently associated with suicide attempts in girls but not boys. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical assessment should consider gender differences in relationships between sexual abuse, depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and suicidality. Sexually abused girls may be at increased risk of attempting suicide, independent of other psychopathology.
spellingShingle Bergen, H
Martin, G
Richardson, A
Allison, S
Roeger, L
Sexual abuse and suicidal behavior: a model constructed from a large community sample of adolescents.
title Sexual abuse and suicidal behavior: a model constructed from a large community sample of adolescents.
title_full Sexual abuse and suicidal behavior: a model constructed from a large community sample of adolescents.
title_fullStr Sexual abuse and suicidal behavior: a model constructed from a large community sample of adolescents.
title_full_unstemmed Sexual abuse and suicidal behavior: a model constructed from a large community sample of adolescents.
title_short Sexual abuse and suicidal behavior: a model constructed from a large community sample of adolescents.
title_sort sexual abuse and suicidal behavior a model constructed from a large community sample of adolescents
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