Child maltreatment and suicidal ideation among justice–and welfare–involved adolescents in Nigeria: Investigating the mediating role of social support and emotion regulation

Background

Suicidal ideation is a global public health burden and justice and welfare–involved adolescents are more affected than the general population. Past studies have examined its risk and protective factors among adolescents. However, the association between child maltreatment and suicidal ideation remains an under-studied topic among at-risk adolescents in low- and middle-income countries. This study filled this gap by examing the association between child maltreatment and suicidal ideation among two high-risk adolescents in Nigeria

Methods

The purpose of this study was to examine the nexus between child maltreatment and suicidal ideation. A cross-sectional design was adopted through multi-stage sampling. Suicidal ideation was measured using a validated self-report Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument (MAYSI-2). Child maltreatment was measured using a validated self-report intrusment (ICAST-C). The sample comprised 205 respondents: justice-involved adolescents (102 (49.8 %) and welfare-involved adolescents (103 (50.2 %). Among them, 151 (73.7 %) were males, while 54 (26.3 %) were females.

Results

Half (51 %) of the adolescents in detention and 39 % of the adolescents in residential care reported suicidal ideation. Emotional abuse (OR = 0.072; 95CI% –412, 0.75, p < .001), no parent is alive (OR = 0.502; 95CI% 0.234–3.15; p < .001), one parent is alive (OR = 0.522; 95 %CI 0.207, 3.09; p < .025) and female gender (OR = −0.22; 95CI% -1.37- 207; p < .008) predicted suicidal ideation. Suicidal ideation was comorbid with depressed-anxious symptoms (OR = 1.46; 95 %CI 1.172, 1.83; p < .001) accounting for 31 % (Nagelkerke R²) of the variance. Social support had an indirect effect on suicidal ideation via emotional abuse (OR = 0.072; 95 % CI = −412–0.75).

Conclusion

The findings underscore the influence of child maltreatment and family background on suicidal ideation. Interventions should include emotional abuse in suicide screening. Children who have lost one or both parents should be the primary focus of interventions.