Variation in Suicidality Among Substance-Abusing Women: the Role of Childhood Adversity

The authors report the relationship of early adversity to suicidality in later life for a sample of African American women who smoke crack cocaine. The present analyses focused on measures related to investment in self-preservation & development, particularly suicidal ideation & attempts. Suicidality was associated with childhood adversity (sexual abuse, loss of mother); of those who had experienced early sexual abuse, 42% had attempted suicide, compared to 19% of those who had not been sexually abused. (39 refs)