Childhood trauma and suicidal ideation in male prisoners: the mediating roles of security sense and antisocial personality

This study aims to broaden our understanding of the relationship between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation among prisoners by testing the role of two potential mediators: the sense of security and antisocial personality traits. A total of 1259 male incarcerated offenders voluntarily participated in the survey, which was conducted in two exclusively male prisons. Out of these participants, 1147 valid questionnaires were obtained, resulting in an effective response rate of 91.1%. The participants had an average age of 38.20 years (SD = 9.36). To measure the variables, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Security Questionnaire (SQ), Antisocial Personality Disorder Subscale of PDQ-4+ (ASPD), and Self-rating Idea of Suicide Scale (SIOSS) were utilized. The results showed a serially mediating mechanism from childhood trauma to suicidal ideation, through the sense of security and antisocial personality. Moreover, multiple direct and indirect paths were observed from the five typologies of childhood trauma to suicidal ideation, through two factors of sense of security. On the one hand, interpersonal security and antisociality were found to serve as complete mediators in the paths from physical abuse and sexual abuse to suicidal ideation, while they acted as partial mediators in other paths. On the other hand, the sense of control and antisociality were identified as complete mediators in the path from emotional neglect to suicidal ideation among prisoners, while they played partial mediation roles in other paths. The present research is the first to identify the effect of the sense of security and antisociality on the relationship between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation. Our findings suggest that suicidal ideation interventions for prisoners should include modules aimed at treating childhood trauma and enhancing the sense of security.