Links between past abuse, suicide ideation, and sexual orientation among San Diego college students

J Am Coll Health. 2002 Jul;51(1):9-14. doi: 10.1080/07448480209596322.

Abstract

The authors explored relationships among childhood abuse, suicidal ideation, and sexual orientation of 18- to 30-year-old students enrolled in 2 San Diego area colleges, using responses from anonymous questionnaires. Sixty percent of the 138 eligible respondents were women, and 22% were self-identified gay/bisexual individuals. Women were more likely than men to report at least 1 form of emotional abuse (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3; p =.02) and unwanted sexual touching (OR = 4.3; p = .0004). Lesbian/bisexual women were significantly more likely to report past suicidal ideation than were heterosexual women (OR = 3.7, p = .03). Gay/bisexual men were more likely to report unwanted sexual touching than were heterosexual men (OR = 5.1, p = .04), but the men did not report significantly higher rates of past suicide ideation or suicide attempts. Sexual orientation and a past history of child sexual, physical, and emotional abuse could be compounding risk factors for suicidal ideation among college students.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • California
  • Child Abuse, Sexual / psychology*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Sexual Behavior*
  • Students / psychology*
  • Suicide / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Universities