Adverse Childhood Experiences and Suicidal Behaviors Among Youth: The Buffering Influence of Family Communication and School Connectedness

Purpose: The main objectives of this study were to determine (1) whether family communication and school connectedness offer protection against suicidal behaviors in the presence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; direct protective effect) and (2) whether family communication or school connectedness buffer the association between ACEs and suicidal behaviors (interacting protective effect) on the multiplicative and additive scales. Methods: Data were obtained from a western state's 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey that included 5,341 middle school and 4,980 high school participants. Generalized linear models were used to estimate whether family communication and school connectedness offered direct protection against suicidal behaviors or buffered the association between ACEs and suicidal behaviors using adjusted prevalence ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results: Family communication and school connectedness offered direct protection against suicidal behaviors in the presence of ACEs (a 1-unit higher score was associated with a 32%-42% lower prevalence of suicidal behaviors for middle school youth and a 27%-39% lower prevalence of suicidal behaviors for high school youth). There was evidence that family communication and school connectedness buffered the association between ACEs and suicidal behaviors on the multiplicative scale. Conclusions: The findings provide support for the development and implementation of interventions that build family communication and school connectedness to reduce suicidal behaviors. Furthermore, screening for trauma and suicidal behaviors is warranted. (c) 2020 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study shows that family communication and school connectedness can offer direct protection against suicidal behaviors in the presence of adverse childhood experiences, as well as buffer the association between ACEs and suicidal behaviors on the multiplicative scale. These findings support the development of interventions to enhance family communication and school connectedness to reduce suicidal behaviors, and screening for trauma and suicidal behaviors is recommended.