title: Traumatic events and suicidality in a German adolescent community sample.
abstract: Exposure to traumatic events has been related to suicide attempts and suicidal ideation in adolescents. This study analyzes the association between suicidality and preceding traumatic life events in 665 German school students with an average age of 14.81 (SD = 0.66). Forty-three (6.5%) students reported suicide attempts and 239 (35.9%) reported suicidal ideation. Adolescents with a history of suicide attempts reported sexual abuse 6 months before their suicidal behavior significantly more often than students with only suicidal ideation. Sexual victimization seems to be especially linked to a risk for suicide attempts during adolescence. Screening for students at risk for developing suicidality should include assessment of traumatic events.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Steinhoevelstr. 5, D-89075 Ulm, Germany. paul.plener@uniklinik-ulm.de
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Plener
authors.forename: Hanneke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goldbeck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*