Sexual Minority Stress, Suicidality, and Mental Health Symptoms
In the United States, suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 34. Those who are in the category of sexual minority are at an even higher risk of suicidality, which includes both suicide ideation and attempts. Typically, sexual and gender minorities refer to individuals who are non-cisgender, non-heterosexual or both, meaning that their gender may differ from their biological sex or they don’t have the conventional male-female attraction. People who don’t fit in with the majority may face a lot of stress. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable, preoccupied with messages of gender and sexuality norms during the key period of identity formation.
Violence and discrimination may cause irreversible harm to mental health. Indeed, gender and sexual minority youth have much higher risk of suicidality compared to their peers. According to minority stress theory, stigma and discrimination due to the persisting homophobic culture puts significant stress on minority individuals. Marginalization, rejection by others, and bullying are some of the stressors that lead to higher risk of suicide and other mental health symptoms like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and hopelessness.
Links between mental health symptoms and suicide risk have previously been established. Many studies have found that depressive and PTSD symptoms are more prevalent in adolescents with high suicidality. But how do these symptoms actually bridge sexual minority stress and suicidality? Although there is existing data supporting how depression mediates suicide ideation in sexual minorities, more research was needed to investigate the combination of symptoms and their connection. As such, a study was done to understand the relationship both across and within the categories of minority stress, mental health symptoms, and suicidality. Specifically, how does depression, PTSD and hopelessness mediate suicidality in adolescents experiencing sexual and gender minority stress in the United States?
Violence and discrimination may cause irreversible harm to mental health. Indeed, gender and sexual minority youth have much higher risk of suicidality compared to their peers. According to minority stress theory, stigma and discrimination due to the persisting homophobic culture puts significant stress on minority individuals. Marginalization, rejection by others, and bullying are some of the stressors that lead to higher risk of suicide and other mental health symptoms like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and hopelessness.
Links between mental health symptoms and suicide risk have previously been established. Many studies have found that depressive and PTSD symptoms are more prevalent in adolescents with high suicidality. But how do these symptoms actually bridge sexual minority stress and suicidality? Although there is existing data supporting how depression mediates suicide ideation in sexual minorities, more research was needed to investigate the combination of symptoms and their connection. As such, a study was done to understand the relationship both across and within the categories of minority stress, mental health symptoms, and suicidality. Specifically, how does depression, PTSD and hopelessness mediate suicidality in adolescents experiencing sexual and gender minority stress in the United States?
Image Source: geralt
In this study, 572 youths between the ages of 12 and 24 contacted through a LGBTQ-youth-focused suicide crisis prevention service. A brief demographic survey was followed by a suicide risk assessment (so that high-risk individuals could receive necessary care), and finally a survey that was later used for analysis. Two-thirds of the people surveyed reportedly experienced suicide ideation, and one-third had previously attempted suicide. Through statistical analysis, it was found that minority stress directly mediates suicidality. However, indirect mediation also occurs through mental health symptoms. Specifically, minority stress is significantly associated with depression alone, primarily, but also PTSD alone, depression and PTSD with hopelessness, and hopelessness with suicidality.
The direct link between minority stress and suicidality is included in the minority stress theory, and it is important to remember clinically to identify individuals who may urgently need help. Considering indirect mediation by mental health symptoms, tailoring therapies and interventions for LGBTQ individuals with depressive and PTSD symptoms may help reduce their suicide risk. Since hopelessness was the most directly associated with suicide ideation and attempts, it should particularly be considered as both a predictor and target when caring for youths experiencing stress and suicidality.
Although the study had some important findings, it could also be improved by increasing the sample size and sample diversity so that both LGBTQ and age subgroups can be studied. A longer time frame could also help confirm some of the links found in the study. Finally, it is important to keep in mind that the larger social environment fundamentally needs to change in order to assure that sexual and gender minority populations have a safe place to live, a sense of belonging, and equality.
The direct link between minority stress and suicidality is included in the minority stress theory, and it is important to remember clinically to identify individuals who may urgently need help. Considering indirect mediation by mental health symptoms, tailoring therapies and interventions for LGBTQ individuals with depressive and PTSD symptoms may help reduce their suicide risk. Since hopelessness was the most directly associated with suicide ideation and attempts, it should particularly be considered as both a predictor and target when caring for youths experiencing stress and suicidality.
Although the study had some important findings, it could also be improved by increasing the sample size and sample diversity so that both LGBTQ and age subgroups can be studied. A longer time frame could also help confirm some of the links found in the study. Finally, it is important to keep in mind that the larger social environment fundamentally needs to change in order to assure that sexual and gender minority populations have a safe place to live, a sense of belonging, and equality.
Featured Image Source: Tim Samuel
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