Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 415 N. Washington St., Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Arch Sex Behav. 2024 Apr;53(4):1343-1360. doi: 10.1007/s10508-023-02770-9. Epub 2024 Jan 10.
Suicide represents a significant public health problem, with around 800,000 deaths per year worldwide and up to 20 times as many episodes of self-harm and suicide attempts. Members of stigmatized groups may experience increased risk of suicide due in part to stigma-related factors, such as expectations of rejection, internalization of negative stereotypes, or potential for greater social isolation. Research suggests that adults who are attracted to children face extreme stigma, even those who do not commit sexual crimes involving children. Adults who are attracted to children also experience significantly increased risk for suicidal ideation and behavior (SIB) compared to general population samples. The current study sought to explore experiences with SIB among adults attracted to children to better understand factors underlying suicidality in this population. The lead author conducted semi-structured interviews in a community sample of 15 adults attracted to children who self-reported some form of SIB in their lifetime. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, the lead author explored and interpreted interview data to generate themes driven by respondents' characterizations of their SIB. Superordinate themes related to suicidality in this sample included low self-esteem or self-worth, cumulative impacts of the attraction and other stressors, and concerns about the ability to have a positive future due to the attraction. Findings underscore the importance of addressing internalized stigma, treating problems like depression and social isolation, and instilling hope for the future to promote mental health and prevent SIB among adults attracted to children.
自杀是一个严重的公共卫生问题，全球每年约有 80 万人自杀，自残和自杀未遂的案例则多达 20 多倍。被污名化群体的成员可能面临更高的自杀风险，部分原因是与污名相关的因素，例如被拒绝的期望、负面刻板印象的内化，或潜在的更大社会孤立。研究表明，对儿童有吸引力的成年人面临着极端的污名化，即使他们没有犯下涉及儿童的性犯罪。对儿童有吸引力的成年人也比一般人群样本更有可能出现自杀意念和行为（SIB）的风险显著增加。本研究旨在探讨对儿童有吸引力的成年人的 SIB 经历，以更好地理解该人群自杀倾向的潜在因素。首席研究员对社区中 15 名对儿童有吸引力的成年人进行了半结构化访谈，这些成年人在一生中都曾报告过某种形式的 SIB。首席研究员使用解释性现象学分析，探讨和解释了访谈数据，根据受访者对 SIB 的描述生成主题。该样本中与自杀倾向相关的主要主题包括自尊心或自我价值感低、吸引力和其他压力源的累积影响，以及对吸引力导致未来无法积极发展的担忧。研究结果强调了应对内化污名、治疗抑郁和社会孤立等问题以及灌输对未来的希望的重要性，以促进对儿童有吸引力的成年人的心理健康并预防 SIB。
