title: Childhood physical abuse, aggression, and suicide attempts among criminal offenders.
abstract: Childhood physical abuse (CPA) has numerous short and long-term negative effects. One of the most serious consequences of CPA is an increased risk for suicide attempts. Clarifying the mechanisms by which CPA increases risk for suicidal behavior may enhance preventive interventions. One potential mechanism is a tendency toward aggression. In a sample of 266 criminal offenders, ages 18-62, we examined the relationships among CPA, lifetime aggression, and suicide attempts and tested lifetime history of aggression as a mediator of the relationship between CPA and suicide attempts. Results indicated that CPA and aggression were associated with suicide attempts. Consistent with our hypothesis, lifetime aggression mediated the CPA and suicide attempts relationship. Findings suggest that aggression may be an important mediator of the relationship between CPA and suicide attempts among criminal offenders, and are consistent with the possibility that treating aggression may reduce risk for suicide attempts.
authors: University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA. marc_swogger@urmc.rochester.edu
authors: Marc T
authors: MT
authors: Swogger
authors: Sungeun
authors: S
authors: You
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Cashman-Brown
authors: Kenneth R
authors: KR
authors: Conner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057237:Criminals / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult