Trauma Exposure, Suicidality, and Sym ptom Severity Among Young Adults Seeking Counseling Who Report Childhood Emotional Abuse.

PSYCHOLOGICAL abuse; YOUNG adults; SUICIDAL ideation; SUICIDE risk factors; HOSTILITY; SOCIAL anxiety; ATTEMPTED suicide

There is limited research regarding childhood emotional abuse (CEA) and i~ in#uence on mental health across development, as most studies of childhood malfreatment to date have focused on childhood sexual and physical abuse. We conducted a cross-sectioncil study on 2,604 young adults seeking counseling services at a large postsecondary institution in the southwestern United States. Participants were screened For trauma exposure, mental health issues, and suicidality. Findings indicated that CEA was signiticantly associated with higher rates of exposure to other traumatic events, more severe depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, academic distress, eating concerns, family distress, hostility, and substance use. CEA exposure was also significantly associated with more #equent suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and non-suicidal sel/Linjury prior to seeking counseling services. As CEA was associated with elevated symptom presentation and more severe risk for suicide, recommendations for counseling practice and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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