Jones Emily E, Blandl Flora, Kreutzer Kayla A, Bryan Craig J, Allan Nicholas P, Gorka Stephanie M
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 370 W. 9th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210.
Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210.
Pers Individ Dif. 2024 Jan;216. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2023.112405. Epub 2023 Sep 9.
Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is a well-established risk factor for suicidality in adolescence and young adulthood. However, the specific mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. Existing research and theoretical frameworks suggest alterations in cognitive and affective processes may account for this association. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) exacerbates negative affect and arousal states and may contribute to sustained distress. It is therefore plausible that ACEs may be associated with high IU, and in turn, high IU may be associated with increased suicide risk. The present study directly tests this hypothesis in a cohort of youth (18-19 years) with varying ACE exposure. Participants with and without a history of trauma (N=107) completed a battery of self-report questionnaires to assess ACEs, IU, and suicide risk. Results revealed ACEs were significantly associated with both IU and suicide risk. IU and suicide risk were also correlated. Importantly, findings demonstrated a significant indirect effect of ACEs on suicide risk through IU. Findings converge with broader literature on the relationship between childhood adversity and suicidality and extend previous research by highlighting IU as a mediator of this relationship, positing IU as a potentially viable target for suicide prevention among those with a history of ACEs.
童年不良经历（ACEs）的暴露是青少年和青年期自杀倾向的一个公认风险因素。然而，这种关系背后的具体机制仍不清楚。现有研究和理论框架表明，认知和情感过程的改变可能解释了这种关联。对不确定性的不耐受（IU）会加剧消极情绪和唤醒状态，并可能导致持续的痛苦。因此，ACEs可能与高IU相关，而高IU又可能与自杀风险增加相关，这是合理的。本研究在一组有不同ACE暴露经历的青年（18 - 19岁）中直接检验了这一假设。有和没有创伤史的参与者（N = 107）完成了一系列自我报告问卷，以评估ACEs、IU和自杀风险。结果显示，ACEs与IU和自杀风险均显著相关。IU和自杀风险也相互关联。重要的是，研究结果表明ACEs通过IU对自杀风险有显著的间接影响。研究结果与关于童年逆境与自杀倾向关系的更广泛文献相一致，并通过强调IU作为这种关系的中介，将IU定位为有ACEs病史者自杀预防的一个潜在可行靶点，扩展了先前的研究。
