title: Childhood adversities as risk factors for onset and persistence of suicidal behaviour.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide, but the precise effect of childhood adversities as risk factors for the onset and persistence of suicidal behaviour (suicide ideation, plans and attempts) are not well understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the associations between childhood adversities as risk factors for the onset and persistence of suicidal behaviour across 21 countries worldwide.
  
  
  METHODS
  Respondents from nationally representative samples (n = 55 299) were interviewed regarding childhood adversities that occurred before the age of 18 years and lifetime suicidal behaviour.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Childhood adversities were associated with an increased risk of suicide attempt and ideation in both bivariate and multivariate models (odds ratio range 1.2-5.7). The risk increased with the number of adversities experienced, but at a decreasing rate. Sexual and physical abuse were consistently the strongest risk factors for both the onset and persistence of suicidal behaviour, especially during adolescence. Associations remained similar after additional adjustment for respondents' lifetime mental disorder status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Childhood adversities (especially intrusive or aggressive adversities) are powerful predictors of the onset and persistence of suicidal behaviours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium. ronny.bruffaerts@med.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Ronny
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruffaerts
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Demyttenaere
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Josep Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Haro
authors.forename: Wai Tat
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Irving
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Elie G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Karam
authors.forename: Ronald C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sampson
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Laura Helena
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angermeyer
authors.forename: Corina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benjet
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bromet
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Girolamo
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Graaf
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Florescu
authors.forename: Oye
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gureje
authors.forename: Itsuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Horiguchi
authors.forename: Chiyi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Viviane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kovess
authors.forename: Daphna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levinson
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Posada-Villa
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sagar
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Adley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Svetlozar M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Vassilev
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Matthew K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Nock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D012307:Risk Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult