Hopelessness as Mediator of the Link Between Reports of a History of Child Maltreatment and Suicidality in African American Women

This study examined the antecedents of suicidal behavior in a sample of economically, socially, & educationally disadvantaged urban African American women suicide attempters & demographically similar nonattempters. It specifically sought to determine whether hopelessness mediates the relation between reported childhood maltreatment & suicide attempt status. Results indicated that hopelessness partially mediated the link between reports of certain forms of child maltreatment & suicide attempts, & fully mediated the link between child sexual abuse & suicide attempts. Further results are discussed. (104 refs)