Childhood Trauma and Suicide: The Mediating Effect of Stress and Sleep
Open accessAbstract
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between suicide risk, perceived stress, and sleep quality through a structural equation modeling approach. This study used convenience sampling to survey 780 undergraduate and graduate students aged 18–30 years. Students were invited to participate in the online questionnaires, which included the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The results showed that suicide ideation and suicidal behavior were positively correlated with childhood trauma, stress, and sleep. A well-fitted structural equation model (χ2 = 1.52, df = 1, χ2/df = 1.52, RMSEA = 0.03, CFI = 1.00, NFI = 1.00) was constructed in this study. The hierarchical regression test showed significance in all the path coefficients of the model. The total effect of emotional abuse on suicide behaviors was 49.5%. The mediating effects accounted for 73.7% of the total effects of emotional abuse on suicidal behaviors. The results demonstrate efforts targeting stress and poor sleep might mitigate the risk of suicidal behaviors among individuals with early emotional abuse experiences.
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A cohort study of 214,649 men with prostate cancer found that those with preexisting PTSD had higher suicide rates.
“A cohort study of 214,649 men with prostate cancer found that those with preexisting PTSD had higher suicide rates, emphasizing the critical role of stress disorders in suicidal behavior.”
From Comprehensive review of chronic stress pathways and the efficacy of behavioral stress reduction programs (BSRPs) in managing diseases. (2024) · cites this paper as [106]
Dysregulated HPA axis activity, as measured by cortisol levels, is a significant risk factor for suicide.
“Dysregulated HPA axis activity, as measured by cortisol levels, is a significant risk factor for suicide.”
From Comprehensive review of chronic stress pathways and the efficacy of behavioral stress reduction programs (BSRPs) in managing diseases. (2024) · cites this paper as [106]
A study of 780 students showed a positive correlation between childhood trauma, stress, sleep disturbances, and suicidal behavior.
“A study of 780 students showed a positive correlation between childhood trauma, stress, sleep disturbances, and suicidal behavior.”
From Comprehensive review of chronic stress pathways and the efficacy of behavioral stress reduction programs (BSRPs) in managing diseases. (2024) · cites this paper as [106]
Research from Denmark indicated that stress disorders substantially increased the rate of suicide attempts, with significant associations observed for various types of stress disorders.
“Research from Denmark indicated that stress disorders substantially increased the rate of suicide attempts, with significant associations observed for various types of stress disorders [102,103,104,105,106].”
From Comprehensive review of chronic stress pathways and the efficacy of behavioral stress reduction programs (BSRPs) in managing diseases. (2024) · cites this paper as [106]
Data from over 16,000 adolescents revealed an increasing trend in psychosocial stress, loneliness, and suicide ideation from 2006 to 2016, with violence being a significant contributor to stress for both boys and girls.
“Data from over 16,000 adolescents revealed an increasing trend in psychosocial stress, loneliness, and suicide ideation from 2006 to 2016, with violence being a significant contributor to stress for both boys and girls.”
From Comprehensive review of chronic stress pathways and the efficacy of behavioral stress reduction programs (BSRPs) in managing diseases. (2024) · cites this paper as [106]
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Shchaslyvyi, A. Y., Antonenko, S. V., & Telegeev, G. D. (2024) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph21081077 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
- Authors
- Wu, R., Zhu, H., Wu, M.-Y., Wang, G.-H., & Jiang, C.-L.
- Affiliations
- Second Military Medical University (CN)
- East China Normal University (CN)
- Pediatric Translational Medicine Institution, Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
- Corresponding author
- Wu, Ran
- Jiang, Chun-Lei
- Venue
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2022-07-12
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 14
- Pages
- 8493
- ISSN
- 1660-4601 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC9317506
- OpenAlex
- W4285090292
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 3.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32170931, 31871171, 21BTY094)
- the National Social Science Foundation of China (32170931, 31871171, 21BTY094)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Keywords
- childhood trauma, suicide risk, suicidal ideation, suicidal behavior, perceived stress, sleep quality, emotional abuse, mediating effect, university students, young adults
- MeSH terms
- Adverse Childhood Experiences, Humans, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Sleep, Students, Suicidal Ideation
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