Specific effects of cumulative childhood trauma on suicidality among youths

Suicidality was very high among individuals who suffered from childhood trauma. The distribution of cumulative childhood trauma among youths remains unclear, as well as the specific effects of cumulative childhood trauma on suicidality. This study attempted to explore the distribution of cumulative childhood trauma and examine the specific effects of cumulative childhood trauma on suicidality. A cross-sectional design was employed in this study, with 117,769 college students recruited from 63 universities in Jilin Province, China. All variables were measured by corresponding self-report questionnaires. The Venn diagram was used to represent the distribution of single and cumulative childhood trauma. ANOVA and chi-square tests were conducted to identify the high-risk suicide groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to examine risk factors for suicidality for overlapping subtypes. 27,671 (23.5 %) participants reported suffering from childhood trauma, of which 49.5 % were male (Mage = 19.59, SD = 1.76). The "physical neglect" group accounted for the largest proportion (31.5 %). Suicidality was the highest in the "overlap of childhood neglect, emotional abuse, and physical abuse" group (2.0 %). Depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder were common risk factors for suicidality. This study was limited by cross-sectional studies and self-report bias. The childhood trauma subtype group with the largest proportion was not necessarily the highest suicidality. Both the largest group and the highest-risk suicide group require special attention to their respective risk factors.