Citation

Walker JH, Venta A, Bechelli J, Brewer TM, Boisvert D, Bick J, Lewis R, Wells J, Armstrong T. J. Clin. Psychol. (Hoboken) 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/jclp.23347

PMID

35302245

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the prevalence of suicidal ideation among young adults has been on the rise, with childhood maltreatment thought to partially explain this disparity. Systemic inflammation-a product of over-activation of the body's stress response system-has been hypothesized to play a predictive role in the development of suicidal ideation. Enduring childhood maltreatment can lead to systemic inflammation, possibly accounting for suicidal ideation's increased prevalence among young adults who have a history of childhood maltreatment.

METHODS: The current study sought to investigate the importance of childhood maltreatment as a static risk factor for downstream suicidal ideation in young adulthood with the immunological response (i.e., systemic inflammation) to childhood maltreatment serving as a mediating factor.

RESULTS: Systemic inflammation was found to be positively associated with suicidal ideation, supporting the unique role systemic inflammation may play in the pathogenesis of suicidal ideation, though hypotheses regarding childhood maltreatment were not supported.

CONCLUSION: This study provides novel insight into a potential immunobiological model for suicidal ideation development in young adult populations.

Language: en

Keywords

depression; suicidal ideation; childhood maltreatment; clinical phychology; depressive symptoms