The mediating effects of psychache and dissociation in the relationship between childhood trauma and suicide attempts

Abstract

Objective: Childhood maltreatment, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect, is a common experience worldwide. The association between childhood maltreatment and suicide has also been well established. This study aimed to investigate the mediator roles of psychache and dissociation in the effect of childhood maltreatment on suicide. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 198 major depressive disorder patients admitted to Cukurova University School of Medicine Balcali Hospital and diagnosed with major depressive disorder according to DSM-5 criteria. The patients were grouped as those who attempted (97 patients) or did not attempt suicide (101 patients). Sociodemographic data form, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), and Psychache Scale (PS) was used for data collection. Results: The mean BDI, median DES, median CTQ total, and mean PS scores in the suicide group were higher than those in the non-suicide group (p