Associations between suicidal behavior and childhood abuse and neglect: A meta-analysis

- We evaluate the association between maltreatment using CTQ and suicide risk.
- We evaluate the suicide risk in different subgroups with histories of maltreatment.
- Maltreatment increases the risk of suicidal behavior, but not suicidal ideation.
- Emotional abuse was the strongest risk of suicidal behavior than others.
- The meta-analysis showed that the risk of suicidal behavior was higher in woman.

BackgroundRelationships of some types of childhood maltreatment and suicidal behavior remain controversial and inconclusive.MethodsMedline, Embase, PsycINFO and Cochrane library were searched for eligible studies, and the results were synthesized in meta-analyses.Resultschildhood maltreatment was associated positively with suicidal behavior in the total population and maltreatment subgroups. Emotional abuse had the strongest effect (OR =2.33, SMD =0.660, P<0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that the effects of childhood abuse (OR =1.55, SMD =0.523) and neglect (OR =1.25, SMD =0.31) were significant. According to the analysis of dichotomous outcomes, childhood maltreatment was associated positively with suicidal behavior in men and women (women: OR =4.84, P<0.001; men: OR =1.03, P<0.001). Among populations, childhood maltreatment had the strongest effect on suicidal behavior in the general population (OR =3.78, P<0.001). However, the analysis of continuous outcomes showed that the effect was strongest in patients with chronic schizophrenia (SMD =0.89, P<0.001). In addition, childhood maltreatment was associated positively with suicide attempt (OR =1.11, SMD =0.48, P<0.001), but not with suicidal ideation.LimitationsSome subgroup samples were not sufficiently large.ConclusionsChildhood maltreatment increases the risk of suicidal behavior. Emotional abuse had the strongest effect among the five types of maltreatment. The risk of suicidal behavior is higher in the general population, women, and individuals with chronic schizophrenia who have histories of childhood maltreatment.