BACKGROUND: Childhood trauma constitutes a major public health issue, as it is associated with enduring mental and physical health complications, as well as an increased risk for a range of psychiatric disorders in adulthood. The Early Trauma Inventory Self Report-Short Form (ETISRSF) is a concise and eff ective instrument for assessing early traumatic experiences. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties and validate the Hungarian version of the ETISR-SF. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 300 psychiatric patients and 57 non-clinical control participants completed the Early Trauma Inventory Self Report-Short Form (ETISR-SF) and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF). RESULTS: Confi rmatory factor analysis supported the original four-factor structure, yielding satisfactory model fi t indices. The ETISR-SF demonstrated high internal consistency across all subscales (Cronbach's α = 0.78-0.94). Signifi cant diff erences between the clinical and non-clinical groups provided evidence of good discriminant validity. Correlations between the ETISR-SF and the CTQ-SF, both at the total and subscale levels, were signifi cant and ranged from low to moderate (r = 0.22-0.71, p ‹ 0.001), supporting the instrument's convergent and divergent validity. CONCLUSIONS: The fi ndings of the present study indicate that the Hungarian version of the ETISR-SF is a psychometrically sound instrument, demonstrating validity and reliability for assessing early traumatic experiences in Hungarian clinical populations. (Neuropsychopharmacol Hung 2026; 28(2): 85-101) Keywords: Childhood trauma, Early Trauma Inventory, Validation study.

Background: A growing body of evidence identifies childhood trauma, encompassing both abuse and neglect, as a potent predictor of suicide attempts across the lifespan. Clear delineation of its mechanisms is essential for advancing trauma-informed psychiatric care. Objective: This study examined the role of childhood maltreatment in single and multiple suicide attempts among adult psychiatric inpatients. Method: In this cross-sectional study, 300 adult psychiatric inpatients, with and without a history of suicide attempts, were assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form (CTQ-SF), alongside the collection of sociodemographic and clinical data. Binary logistic regression was employed to evaluate the associations between childhood trauma, psychiatric diagnoses, and suicide attempt history, distinguishing between single and multiple attempts. Results: All CTQ-SF domains were significantly intercorrelated (p <.01), with the strongest associations between emotional neglect and physical neglect (ρ = 0.708) and between emotional neglect and emotional abuse (ρ = 0.683). Emotional neglect was the most prevalent trauma type (93%), whereas sexual abuse was the least common (27%); 90% of participants reported two or more trauma types. Emotional abuse was associated with increased odds of any suicide attempt [odds ratio (OR) = 1.04], while physical neglect was associated with increased odds of multiple attempts (OR = 1.14). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that most forms of childhood trauma may contribute to repeated suicide attempts. Neglect exerts a heightened effect when co-occurring with other maltreatment types, suggesting a dose–response relationship. This synergistic impact underscores the need for comprehensive trauma assessments that capture both the severity and multiplicity of adverse experiences.