Pathway Linking Childhood Trauma to Suicide Ideation in a Subclinical Sample of College Students With Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Dissociation and Psychosis-Like Experiences

Abstract

Suicidal ideation is a critical clinical concern that significantly increases suicide risk. This study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine factors linked to suicidal ideation, focusing on dissociation and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) as mediators between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation. A sample of 260 university students (55.4% female; M_age = 26.76, SD = 4.58) completed self-report measures, including the Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Prodromal Questionnaire, and Dissociative Experiences Scale. SEM results showed that childhood trauma significantly affected suicidal ideation (β = .21, p < .01). PLEs (β = .39, p < .01) and dissociative experiences (β = .12, p < .05) were also significant predictors of suicidal ideation. The pathway from childhood trauma to PLEs was significant (β = .49, p < .01), as was the direct effect of childhood trauma on dissociation (β = .23, p < .01). Bootstrapping results indicated that PLEs significantly mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation (β = .19, p = .001; 95 % CI [0.14, 0.28]), while dissociation also significantly mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation (β = .03, p = .04; [0.01, 0.13]). These findings highlight significant links between childhood trauma, PLEs, dissociation, and suicidal ideation, emphasizing the need for early recognition and intervention, particularly by addressing underlying factors such as trauma, dissociation, and psychotic symptoms.