Suicidality in College Women Who Report Multiple versus Single Types of Maltreatment by Parents

To see if child sexual, physical, and psychological maltreatment are linked to adult suicidality, 114 college women completed measures of suicidality, reasons for living, incidence and impact of maltreatment. Women who reported sexual mallreatrnent in combination with other types of maltreafment were significandy more suicidal than those not maltreated or those who reported other types of maltreatment. Apparently, child sexual and multiple maltreatment are more damaging, at least in terns of suicidality, than none or only one type of maltreatment. An implication is that college counseling centers need to assess suicide potential in any women who report child sexual plus other mallreatment.