School connectedness and adverse childhood experiences in relation to suicidal behaviors among nationally representative adolescents
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are strongly associated with adolescent suicidality. Since these exposures have already occurred, prevention depends on identifying modifiable protective factors. School connectedness is a theoretically grounded candidate, yet its role in the context of cumulative childhood adversity has not been examined in nationally representative data. We analysed 10,605 U.S. high-school students from the 2023 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the first cycle to include a dedicated ACE module. Survey-weighted modified Poisson regression estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) for associations of cumulative ACEs and school connectedness with past-year suicidal ideation and suicide attempt, adjusting for sex, grade, and race/ethnicity. Cumulative ACEs showed a strong dose-response association with both outcomes (four or more ACEs: ideation PR = 11.49, 95% CI 8.83 to 14.95; attempt PR = 14.80, 95% CI 9.32 to 23.52). School connectedness was independently associated with lower prevalence of ideation (PR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.62 to 0.76) and attempt (PR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.87), and this association persisted after adjustment for a cumulative adverse-school-experience index. Interaction analyses showed no consistent buffering; connectedness was protective across all adversity levels. School connectedness is a broadly relevant, modifiable target for adolescent suicide prevention.
Source: Scientific Reports
Author: Fahad Bin Radhyan
Institution: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,690
OpenAlex ID: W7222084099
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