The association between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation in medical students: the role of alexithymia and resilience

TL;DR

The study finds that childhood trauma increases suicidal thoughts in medical students, with emotion-processing and resilience playing key roles.

Contribution

This study identifies a mediating chain of alexithymia and resilience linking childhood trauma to suicidal ideation in medical students.

Findings

Childhood trauma significantly increases the risk of suicidal ideation in medical students.

The relationship is partially mediated by a chain involving alexithymia and psychological resilience.

Abstract

To reveal the association between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation in medical students and explore the potential mediating roles of alexithymia and psychological resilience.

Based on a cross-sectional survey conducted at a medical university in Anhui Province, 2,377 medical students were included. Assessments were performed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Resilience Scale, and the Suicidal Ideation Scale.

Our results showed that childhood trauma significantly increased the risk of suicidal ideation in medical students (β=0.500, 95% CI: [0.470, 0.540]; The association was mediated by an alexithymia-resilience chain (mediating effect β=0.03, 95% CI: [0.029,0.040].

Emphasizing attention to medical students’ childhood trauma experiences, focusing on enhancing their emotion-processing abilities, and promoting psychological resilience represent effective strategies for preventing suicide risk in this population.

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