Objectives: Since the ground breaking work of Felitti and colleagues (1998) at Kaiser Permanente, child abuse intervention and prevention specialists have understood that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) pose significant risk for long term negative health outcomes, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Anda et al., 2006), depression (Spinhoven et al., 2010), substance abuse (Anda et al., 2002) and suicide (Brockie et al., 2015; Cluver et al., 2015; Dube et al., 2001). Consistent with definitions of scoping review methods (May et al., 2001) our aim was to systematically retrieve literature mapping key concepts and best available evidence regarding associations between suicide and ACEs. Our review also examined how individuals’ coping and/or health-risk behaviours (i.e., substance abuse) and depressive symptoms associated with ACEs may be linked to risk for suicidal ideation, suicidal attempts and death by suicide.
Method: Our review was informed by the six-step procedure outlined by Daudt et al., (2013), an extension of Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) approach. We modified the sixth step regarding end-project consultation with knowledge users [KUs] in favour of an integrated Knowledge Translation approach. In consultation with library scientists and KUs we searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, ERIC, Social Work Abstracts, Family & Society Studies Worldwide, Family Studies Abstracts, Social Service Abstracts, CINAHL and Web of Science using terms including ACEs, child maltreatment and abuse combined with terms for suicide (including all synonyms).
Results: Of the 977 studies identified examining ACEs and suicide, 117 articles met inclusion criteria for our review.
Conclusions: This comprehensive review found that ACEs increase the risk for suicidal ideation, suicidal attempts and death by suicide. ACEs were also linked with health-risk behaviours and risk for depression, which are also linked with suicidality. Selective and indicated prevention efforts combined with early intervention initiatives are recommended.
