Mediating effect of suicidal ideation in the association between child abuse and premenstrual syndrome among female adults

Abstract Introduction Premenstrual symptoms encompass a range of physical, emotional, and behavioral changes that cyclically occur before menstruation. Childhood abuse has been associated with subsequent mental health challenges, yet its relationship with exacerbating premenstrual symptoms remains an understudied area. Furthermore, suicidal ideation often emerges from traumatic backgrounds such as child abuse, creating another layer of complexity. Given the rising suicide rates in Lebanon, and the concurrent increase in reported child abuse cases, this research focuses on the role of suicidal ideation as a mediator between child abuse and premenstrual syndrome. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 915 female university students in Lebanon. Participants completed an online questionnaire encompassing demographic details, health lifestyle, the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST), Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), and Child Abuse Self Report Scale (CASRS-12). The mediation analysis was conducted using PROCESS MACRO v3.4 model 4; three pathways derived from this analysis: pathway A from the independent variable to the mediator, pathway B from the mediator to the dependent variable, Pathway C indicating the direct effect from the independent to the dependent variable. Results The results of the mediation analysis showed that suicidal ideation mediated the association between all types of child abuse and the presence of PMS. Higher psychological (Beta = 0.21; p