The intersection of interpersonal and self-directed violence among general adult, college student and sexually diverse samples

Robert J Cramer, Sarah L Desmarais, Kiersten L Johnson, Tess M Gemberling, Matt R Nobles, Sarah R Holley, Susan Wright and Richard Van Dorn

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 2017, vol. 63, issue 1, 78-85

Abstract: Background: Suicide and interpersonal violence (i.e. victimization and perpetration) represent pressing public health problems, and yet remain mostly addressed as separate topics. Aims: To identify the (1) frequency and overlap of suicide and interpersonal violence and (2) characteristics differentiating subgroups of violence-related experiences. Methods: A health survey was completed by 2,175 respondents comprised of three groups: college students ( n  = 702), adult members of a sexuality special interest organization ( n  = 816) and a community adult sample ( n  = 657). Latent class analysis was used to identify subgroups characterized by violence experiences; logistic regression was used to identify respondent characteristics differentiating subgroups. Results: Overall rates of violence perpetration were low; perpetration, victimization and self-directed violence all varied by sample. Adults with alternative sexual interests reported high rates of victimization and self-directed violence. Analyses indicated two subgroups: (1) victimization + self-directed violence and (2) self-directed violence only. The victimization + self-directed violence subgroup was characterized by older, White, female and sexual orientation minority persons. The self-directed violence subgroup was characterized by younger, non-White, male and straight counterparts engaging with more sexual partners and more frequent drug use. Conclusion: Findings support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition of suicide as self-directed violence. Suicide intervention and prevention should further account for the role of violent victimization by focusing on the joint conceptualization of self-directed and interpersonal violence. Additional prevention implications are discussed.

Keywords: Self-directed violence; interpersonal violence; victimization; suicide; perpetration; physical assault (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:63:y:2017:i:1:p:78-85

DOI: 10.1177/0020764016683728

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