Child Maltreatment, Depression and Protective Factors on the Risk of Suicidal Behaviors and Ideation: A Network  Approach

Introduction: Child maltreatment, such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect, have a great impact on the development of the brain and psychological health. Child maltreatment often leads to mental problems such as depression and suicide. It is however still unclear if there are differences between forms of child maltreatment and their relation to mental problems, such as suicidal behaviors. This research is interested in the specific relations that different forms of abuse might have with suicidal behaviors. Methods: In this study, we applied a Gaussian Graphical network model with regularization, that shows how the different forms of maltreatment are related to depression and suicidal behaviors and ideation. The sample size exists of 445 students that participated in the first trial of the WARN-D study. The participants filled in questionnaires with questions regarding among others child maltreatment, depression, suicidality, and...Show moreIntroduction: Child maltreatment, such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect, have a great impact on the development of the brain and psychological health. Child maltreatment often leads to mental problems such as depression and suicide. It is however still unclear if there are differences between forms of child maltreatment and their relation to mental problems, such as suicidal behaviors. This research is interested in the specific relations that different forms of abuse might have with suicidal behaviors. Methods: In this study, we applied a Gaussian Graphical network model with regularization, that shows how the different forms of maltreatment are related to depression and suicidal behaviors and ideation. The sample size exists of 445 students that participated in the first trial of the WARN-D study. The participants filled in questionnaires with questions regarding among others child maltreatment, depression, suicidality, and social support. The network analysis is run in JASP (2022). Results: This study has found considerable correlations but of moderate strength. We found mostly positive partial correlations between emotional neglect and variables about suicidality, such as passive and active suicidality, suicide attempt and nonsuicidal self-injury. We also found that sexual abuse seems to have a relationship with passive suicidality and nonsuicidal self-injury. Lastly, social support seems to act as a protective factor for negative outcomes, since the results showed negative correlations between social support, depression, and suicidal behaviors. We have found that there are some differences in the psychological outcome of child maltreatment and with these results, we will understand de process of suicidal behaviors a bit better than before.Show less

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Child Maltreatment, Depression and Protective Factors on the Risk of Suicidal Behaviors and Ideation: A Network Approach