Childhood trauma and suicidal ideation in female prisoners: serial mediation via intolerance of uncertainty and emotional problems

Abstract

Given the high risk of suicide among female prisoners, investigating the internal risk factors and pathways associated with suicidal ideation holds substantial clinical and practical significance. Childhood trauma, a critical distal risk factor, is closely associated with suicidal behavior. However, the specific cognitive and affective mechanisms through which childhood trauma links to suicidal ideation remain underexplored. Drawing on Emotion Dysregulation Theory and related research, this study constructed a serial mediation model to explore the relationship between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation in female prisoners, as well as the mediating roles of intolerance of uncertainty and emotional problems. A cross-sectional survey using standardized questionnaires was conducted with a sample of 1,086 female prisoners. The results indicated that childhood trauma showed a significant indirect association with suicidal ideation through intolerance of uncertainty and emotional problems. Specifically, emotional problems showed a significant independent mediating effect, and intolerance of uncertainty was involved in a significant serial mediation pathway linking childhood trauma to suicidal ideation. Furthermore, the direct paths from childhood trauma and intolerance of uncertainty to concurrent suicidal ideation were not statistically significant. Both variables were positively associated with emotional problems, which were associated with higher levels of suicidal ideation. This study delineates the cognitive-affective pathways through which early trauma is indirectly associated with suicidal ideation, providing empirical evidence for targeted suicide risk assessment and psychological interventions in correctional settings.