Relationships between PTSD severity and suicidal ideation in Cambodian women: The role of individual symptom clusters, trauma types and depression.

Suicidal ideation and trauma exposure are significant health challenges worldwide, and their interaction increases their burden on individuals and communities. However, limited research has been devoted to these conditions in low- and middle-income countries, where the majority of the burden of these disorders exists. Additionally, unique cultural factors that may contribute to differential relationships in these symptoms and disorders make this an important area to explore. This study examines relationships between the number and types of adverse exposures, PTSD symptoms and severity, depression and suicidal ideation in a sample of Cambodian women with experiences of trauma using logistic and linear regressions. Overall, PTSD severity significantly contributes to suicidal ideation, with hyperarousal symptoms playing a particularly influential role in this association. Further, adverse experiences, including physical abuse and parental mental health problems, contributed significantly to increased suicidal ideation. Lastly, depression severity partially mediates the relationship between PTSD severity and suicidal ideation. These results illustrate the significant role of PTSD in the experience of suicidal ideation, particularly within regions like Cambodia with high trauma loads. These findings point to psychological constructs that may be especially important to include in suicidality screening tools and to target within prevention and intervention efforts.