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The interplay between childhood trauma, cognitive biases, psychotic-like experiences and depression and their additive impact on predicting lifetime suicidal behavior in young adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2019

Łukasz Gawęda Open the ORCID record for Łukasz Gawęda [Opens in a new window] ,
Renata Pionke ,
Martyna Krężołek ,
Dorota Frydecka ,
Barnaby Nelson  and
Andrzej Cechnicki
Łukasz Gawęda*
Affiliation:
Psychopathology and Early Intervention Lab, II Department of Psychiatry, the Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Renata Pionke
Affiliation:
Psychopathology and Early Intervention Lab, II Department of Psychiatry, the Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Martyna Krężołek
Affiliation:
Psychopathology and Early Intervention Lab, II Department of Psychiatry, the Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Dorota Frydecka
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
Barnaby Nelson
Affiliation:
Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
Andrzej Cechnicki
Affiliation:
Department of Community Psychiatry, Chair of Psychiatry, Medical College Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
*
Author for correspondence: Łukasz Gawęda, E-mail: lgaweda@wum.edu.pl
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Abstract

Background

Childhood trauma, psychosis risk, cognition, and depression have been identified as important risk markers for suicidal behaviors. However, little is known about the interplay between these distal and proximal markers in influencing the risk of suicide. We aim to investigate the interplay between childhood trauma, cognitive biases, psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and depression in predicting suicidal behaviors in a non-clinical sample of young adults.

Methods

In total, 3495 young adults were recruited to an online computer-assisted web interview. We used the Prodromal Questionnaire to assess PLEs. Childhood trauma was assessed with the Traumatic Experience Checklist (three items) and Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire (CECA.Q, three items). Cognitive biases were assessed with a short version of the Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale. Suicidality, psychiatric diagnoses, and substance use were screened with a self-report questionnaire.

Results

Childhood trauma, as well as PLEs, was associated with an approximately five-fold increased risk of suicidal thoughts and plans as well as suicide attempts. Participants with depression were six times more likely to endorse suicidal behaviors. Path analysis revealed that PLEs, depression and cognitive biases are significant mediators of the relationship between trauma and suicidal behaviors. The model explained 44.6% of the variance in lifetime suicidality.

Conclusions

Cognitive biases, PLEs, and depression partially mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and suicidal behaviors. The interplay between distal and proximal markers should be recognized and become part of clinical screening and therapeutic strategies for preventing risk of suicidality.

Keywords

Cognitive distortionsdepressionlife adversityrisk of psychosissuicide
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 50 , Issue 1 , January 2020 , pp. 116 - 124
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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