Suicidal risk among adult survivors of childhood maltreatment: The role of parent–child contact during out of home placement

Abstract

BackgroundChildhood maltreatment is associated with insecure/disorganized attachment and in turn with suicidal risk (SR). Despite maltreatment, contact with biological parents is maintained during out-of-home placement. However, its impact on SR remains unclear. ObjectiveExamine whether (1) contact with parents is linked with SR and (2) with insecure/disorganized attachment to parents, and whether (3) contact moderates the link between maltreatment and SR and (4) between attachment and SR. MethodNinety-one adults (64 females) placed during childhood passed the Childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ), the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) (for SR), and the Attachment Multiple Model Interview (AMMI). Participants’ records were used to determine contact with biological parents and maltreatment. ResultsResults show that contact with both parents is positively linked with SR. Furthermore, contact with mother moderates (increases) the link between maltreatment and SR. It is also associated with insecure and disorganized attachment and moderates its effect on SR.Conclusions.Findings suggest that decisions to maintain contact with parents could be modulated as a function of attachment to biological parents. They bring new questions about the role of mother–child attachment and whether interventions aimed at improving this relationship are called for when contact is maintained. More research is needed to examine how this may be critical in terms of suicidal risk.