Childhood maltreatment increases the suicidal risk in Chinese schizophrenia patients

Abstract

ObjectivesChildhood trauma might be a modifiable risk factor among adults with serious mental illness. However, the correlation of child trauma and suicide is unclear, which were cited most frequently as the biggest challenge to schizophrenia (SCZ) patients in China. We aim to study relationships between child trauma and suicide in SCZ patients of different disease stages.MethodsNinety-one participants were included and divided into two groups, namely, first-episode group (n = 46), relapsed group (n = 45). The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale was used to evaluate the severity of psychotic symptoms. The Beck's Suicide Intent Scale and The Nurses' Global Assessment of Suicide Risk were conducted by patient self-report to assess suicide symptom. The childhood trauma questionnaire was used to estimate severity of traumatic stress experienced during childhood.ResultsChildhood trauma and different dimensions of suicide were significantly higher in the relapsed group than first-episode group (P < 0.01, respectively). BMI has a significant positive relationship with recent psychosocial stress (β = 0.473, t = 3.521, P < 0.001) in first-episode group. As in relapsed group, BMI has a positive effect between severe mental illness and suicide ideation (β = 0.672, t = 5.949, P < 0.001; β = 0.909, t = 2.463, P < 0.001), Furthermore, emotional neglect presented positively related to the suicide risk and proneness to suicidal behavior (β = 0.618, t = 5.518, P < 0.001; β = 0.809, t = 5.356, P < 0.001).ConclusionRelapsed group of patients had significantly more severe childhood trauma, recent psychosocial stress, suicidal risk and proneness to suicidal behavior. BMI and emotional neglect are unique predictors for different dimensions of suicide.

Visuospatial ability and attention as risk factors for suicidal ideation in middle-aged and elderly schizophrenia patients: a cross-sectional study

“…The old SZ patients perceive and adjust to their illnesses well [ 41 ], which might be used to explain the low prevalence of suicidal ideation in the middle-aged and elderly patients. Meanwhile, high BMI was found to be a risk factor for suicidal ideation in the middle-aged and elderly patients, which is consistent with the previous study [ 42 ].…”

Clinical characteristics of psychotic disorders in patients with childhood trauma

“…These findings are in agreement with other studies that have shown that childhood trauma is an important predictor of worse treatment outcomes, lower compliance rates and reduced social functioning in patients with psychotic and non-psychotic mental disorders. [3,5,9,30,50,51] The same can be connected with the high degree of individual and systemic traumatization that the parents of the participants experienced during the 5-year period of the civil war that was held in this area 3 decades ago. [34] It should be noted that a significant percentage of the participants in this study, during the period of war, were in childhood and adolescent development (26.7%) and were presumably exposed to frequent emotional abuse and often witnessed domestic violence.…”

“…These findings are in agreement with other studies that have shown that childhood trauma is an important predictor of worse treatment outcomes, lower compliance rates and reduced social functioning in patients with psychotic and non-psychotic mental disorders. [ 3 , 5 , 9 , 30 , 50 , 51 ] The same can be connected with the high degree of individual and systemic traumatization that the parents of the participants experienced during the 5-year period of the civil war that was held in this area 3 decades ago. [ 34 ]…”

Association between childhood maltreatment and suicidal ideation among Chinese patients with chronic schizophrenia: the mediating role of insomnia

“… 12 Another study in individuals with relapse schizophrenia demonstrated that suicide ideation could be related to emotional neglect and sexual abuse, while suicide ideation was not associated with other types of childhood maltreatment. 6 The different sample characteristics and relatively small sample sizes ( N = 50–313) in previous studies might contribute to these inconsistencies.…”

“…First, previous studies have produced highly varied results. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] Several studies reported no association between childhood maltreatment and suicide ideation in people with chronic schizophrenia 10 or people with first-episode schizophrenia, 6 while other studies demonstrated a positive relationship. 7,11 Second, previous research has identified varying associations between specific types of childhood maltreatment, i.e.…”