title: Associations between childhood abuse and interpersonal aggression and suicide attempt among U.S. adults in a national study.
abstract: The aim of this study is to examine associations among childhood physical, emotional, or sexual abuse and violence toward self (suicide attempts [SA]) and others (interpersonal aggression [IA]). Data were obtained from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions Waves 1 and 2 (n=34,653). Multinomial logistic regression examined associations between type of childhood abuse and violence categories, adjusting for demographic variables, other childhood adversity, and DSM-IV psychiatric disorders. The prevalence of reported childhood abuse was 4.60% for physical abuse, 7.83% for emotional abuse, and 10.20% for sexual abuse. Approximately 18% of adults reported some form of violent behavior, distributed as follows: IA, 13.37%; SA, 2.64%; and SA with IA, 1.85%. After adjusting for demographic variables, other childhood adversity, and psychiatric disorders, each type of childhood abuse was significantly related to increased risk for each violence category as compared with the no violence category. Furthermore, the odds ratio of childhood physical abuse was significantly higher for SA with IA when compared with IA, and the odds ratio of childhood sexual abuse was significantly higher for SA and SA with IA when compared with IA. Childhood physical, emotional, and sexual abuse is directly related to the risk for violent behaviors to self and others. Both internalizing and externalizing psychiatric disorders impact the association between childhood abuse and violence. The inclusion of suicidal behaviors and interpersonal aggression and internalizing/externalizing psychiatric disorders within an integrated conceptual framework will facilitate more effective interventions for long-lasting effects of child abuse.
authors.affiliation: CSR, Incorporated, 2107 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1000, Arlington, VA 22201, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Harford
authors.affiliation: CSR, Incorporated, 2107 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1000, Arlington, VA 22201, USA.
authors.forename: Hsiao-ye
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 5635 Fishers Lane, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Bridget F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Grant
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017677:Age Distribution; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Childhood adversity; Childhood physical abuse; Emotional abuse; Interpersonal aggression; Psychiatric disorder; Sexual abuse; Suicide attempt; Violence