Association Between Childhood Maltreatment Subtypes and Current Suicide Risk Among Homeless Men and Women

• NCJ Number: 239811
• Journal: Child Maltreatment Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2012 Pages: 132-143
• Author(s): Iris Torchalla; Verena Strehlau; Kathy Li; Christian Schuetz; Michael Krausz
• Date Published: May 2012
• Length: 12 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study explored self-reports of childhood maltreatment and sucide risks among homeless persons.

Abstract

This study explored self-reports of five childhood maltreatment (CM) subtypes and their associations with current suicide risk in a sample of 500 homeless persons. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Individual, unique, and cumulative associations of CM subtypes and subtype combinations with suicide risk (no vs. low vs. moderate/high) were examined. In multivariate analyses, four of the five CM subtypes were associated with suicide risk in individual models, but not in a model that included all CM subtypes. The strongest associations were found for reports of multitype CM involving all five subtypes. Mental disorders and female sex were independently associated with suicide risk. Clinicians working with CM victims should be aware that homeless clients are likely to report multitype maltreatment and should assess a variety of CM experiences. Future studies need to further examine multitype maltreatment and suicidal behaviors in homeless populations with complex conditions. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage Journals.