Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse in Depressed Patients with Single and Multiple Suicide Attempts

Research has shown both childhood physical and sexual abuse to be associated with later suicide attempts, although some studies have not supported these findings. However, few studies have investigated differences in physical and sexual abuse histories among single and multiple suicide attempters. The goals of the current study were two-fold: (a) to replicate previous findings of associations between childhood sexual and physical abuse and suicide attempts, and (b) to explore differences in reports of childhood physical and sexual abuse among single and multiple suicide attempters. While our results supported the findings that individuals with a history of suicide attempts are more likely to report histories of childhood physical and sexual abuse, we did not find a difference in reported abuse between single and multiple suicide attempters. Implications of these findings, as well as implications for future research, are discussed.