Partner abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder as risk factors for suicide attempts in a sample of low-income, inner-city women

• Published in: Journal of traumatic stress 1999-01, Vol.12 (1), p.59-72
• Main Authors: Thompson, Martie P., Kaslow, Nadine J., Kingree, J. B., Puett, Robin, Thompson, Nancy J., Meadows, Lindi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Battered Women; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Central Cities; Family Violence; Female; Females; Georgia; Humans; Logistic Models; Low Income Groups; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Odds Ratio; partner abuse; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Poverty; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; PTSD; Risk; Risk Factors; Spouse Abuse - psychology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; suicidal behavior; Suicide; Suicide, Attempted - psychology; Urban Population; women
• ISSN: 0894-9867; 1573-6598
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1024742215337

This study examined partner abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as risk factors for suicidal behavior among women, and whether or not PTSD mediated the partner abuse‐suicidal behavior association. Attempters (n = 119) were approximately three times more likely to be above clinical cut‐points for physical partner abuse, nonphysical abuse, and PTSD than nonattempters (n = 85). Physical partner abuse, but not nonphysical partner abuse, was associated with an increased risk for PTSD. Further, PTSD mediated the link between physical partner abuse and suicidality, such that when PTSD was statistically controlled, the association between physical partner abuse and suicide attempt status was reduced to nonsignificance. Implications of findings for interventions for female victims of partner abuse, and women who make nonfatal suicide attempts are discussed.