Adversity, Beyond Neglect and Abuse, Increases Suicide Risk in Youth

Childhood adversity (usually measured as a compilation of abuse, neglect, and maltreatment) increases risks for suicide ideation and attempts. Although ideation and attempts predict risk for suicide itself, no study has examined how specific indicators of childhood adversity, rather than a global compilation, affect suicide risk in youth, which has low prevalence. Using Swedish registries, researchers obtained data on a large enough population (N=548,721) to study how eight specific indicators of adversity, excluding abuse and neglect, affected suicide risk in youths from age 15 through age 24.

The suicide rate was 10.6 per 100,000 person-years. Poor school performance significantly increased risk (incidence rate ratios: poor grades, 2.0; mi…