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. 2021 Dec:122:105353.
doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105353. Epub 2021 Oct 9.

Longitudinal associations between childhood sexual abuse-related PTSD symptoms and passive and active suicidal ideation among sexual minority men

Jillian R Scheer  1 , Kirsty A Clark  2 , Ali Talan  3 , Cynthia Cabral  4 , John E Pachankis  5 , H Jonathon Rendina  6
Affiliations

Longitudinal associations between childhood sexual abuse-related PTSD symptoms and passive and active suicidal ideation among sexual minority men

Jillian R Scheer et al. Child Abuse Negl. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Sexual minority men report high rates of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and adulthood suicidality. However, mechanisms (e.g., PTSD symptoms) through which CSA might drive suicidality remain unknown.

Objective: In a prospective cohort of sexual minority men, we examined: (1) associations between CSA and suicidal thoughts and behaviors; (2) prospective associations between CSA-related PTSD symptoms and suicidal ideation; and (3) interpersonal moderators of these associations.

Participants and setting: Participants included 6305 sexual minority men (Mage = 33.2, SD = 11.5; 82.0% gay; 53.5% White) who completed baseline and one-year follow-up at-home online surveys.

Methods: Bivariate analyses were used to assess baseline demographic and suicidality differences between CSA-exposed participants and non-CSA-exposed participants. Among CSA-exposed participants, multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to regress passive and active suicidal ideation at one-year follow-up on CSA-related PTSD symptoms at baseline. Interactions were examined between CSA-related PTSD symptoms and interpersonal difficulties.

Results: CSA-exposed sexual minority men reported two-and-a-half times the odds of suicide attempt history compared to non-CSA-exposed men (95% CI = 2.15-2.88; p < 0.001). Among CSA-exposed sexual minority men, CSA-related PTSD symptoms were prospectively associated with passive suicidal ideation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.38; 95% CI = 1.19; 1.61). Regardless of CSA-related PTSD symptom severity, those with lower social support and greater loneliness were at elevated risk of active suicidal ideation at one-year follow-up.

Conclusions: CSA-related PTSD symptom severity represents a psychological mechanism contributing to CSA-exposed sexual minority men's elevated suicide risk, particularly among those who lack social support and report loneliness.

Keywords: Childhood sexual abuse; PTSD; Sexual minority men; Social support; Suicidality.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interest: There are no conflicts of interest to report regarding this project.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
CSA-related PTSD symptoms by social support for active suicidal ideation (i.e., desire to kill oneself) at one-year follow-up.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
CSA-related PTSD symptoms by loneliness for active suicidal ideation (i.e., desire to kill oneself) at one-year follow-up.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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