Exposure to Suicidal Behavior and Social Support Among Sexual- and Gender-Minority Youth. 2021

Kimberly J Mitchell, and Victoria Banyard, and Kimberly L Goodman, and Ida F Strøm, and Michele L Ybarra
Crimes Against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire; kimberly.mitchell@unh.edu.

In this study, we examine reports of exposure to suicidal behavior by youth sexual and gender identity. We explore how exposure is related to depressed mood in the context of high social support while accounting for cumulative adversity. Data from a large national sample of youth aged 14 to 15 years in the United States (N = 3979) were collected online in 2018-2019. Sexual- and gender-minority youth were more likely to know someone close to them who attempted suicide, relative to cisgender heterosexual youth. Cisgender heterosexual youth were buffered from recent depressed mood when they endorsed having high social support in the context of exposure to suicidal behavior; less social support did not provide such a buffer. For cisgender sexual-minority male and female youth, exposure to suicidal behavior was related to recent depressed mood regardless of the level of social support. For gender-minority youth assigned female at birth, the combination of exposure and high social support was significantly associated with elevated depressed mood. Cumulative adversity accounted for some but not all of these relationships, indicating the influential role of exposure to suicidal behavior on depressed mood for some youth. These findings illustrate the complexities of social support and raise questions about its potential to magnify stress rather than serve as a buffer for some youth. Although findings need to be replicated, suicide prevention efforts should carefully consider how to promote resilience among these suicide-exposed sexual- and gender-minority youth who may themselves be at risk for suicidal ideation and behavior.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D003863 Depression Depressive states usually of moderate intensity in contrast with MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER present in neurotic and psychotic disorders. Depressive Symptoms,Emotional Depression,Depression, Emotional,Depressive Symptom,Symptom, Depressive
D005260 Female Females
D006306 Health Surveys A systematic collection of factual data pertaining to health and disease in a human population within a given geographic area. Abortion Surveys,Abortion Survey,Health Survey,Survey, Abortion,Survey, Health,Surveys, Abortion,Surveys, Health
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000072339 Sexual and Gender Minorities Individuals including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, gender non-conforming people, and other populations whose sexual orientation or GENDER IDENTITY and reproductive development is considered outside cultural, societal, or physiological norms. Gays,Gender Diverse,LGBTQ,LGBTQIA,Bisexuals,GLBT Persons,Gender Minorities,Homosexuals,LBG Persons,LGBT Persons,LGBTQ Persons,Lesbians,Lesbigay Persons,Men Who Have Sex With Men,Non-Heterosexual Persons,Non-Heterosexuals,Queers,Sexual Dissidents,Sexual Minorities,Women Who Have Sex With Women,Bisexual,Dissident, Sexual,Dissidents, Sexual,Diverse, Gender,GLBT Person,Gay,Gender Minority,Homosexual,LBG Person,LGBT Person,LGBTQ Person,Lesbian,Lesbigay Person,Minorities, Gender,Minorities, Sexual,Minority, Gender,Minority, Sexual,Non Heterosexual Persons,Non Heterosexuals,Non-Heterosexual,Non-Heterosexual Person,Person, GLBT,Person, LBG,Person, LGBT,Person, LGBTQ,Person, Lesbigay,Person, Non-Heterosexual,Persons, GLBT,Persons, LBG,Persons, LGBT,Persons, LGBTQ,Persons, Lesbigay,Queer,Sexual Dissident,Sexual Minority
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D012944 Social Support Support systems that provide assistance and encouragement to individuals with physical or emotional disabilities in order that they may better cope. Informal social support is usually provided by friends, relatives, or peers, while formal assistance such as COMMUNITY SUPPORT is provided by churches, groups, etc. Perceived Social Support,Social Care,Online Social Support,Care, Social,Online Social Supports,Perceived Social Supports,Social Support, Online,Social Support, Perceived,Social Supports, Online,Social Supports, Perceived,Support, Online Social,Support, Perceived Social,Support, Social,Supports, Perceived Social
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D059020 Suicidal Ideation A risk factor for suicide attempts and completions, it is the most common of all suicidal behavior, but only a minority of ideators engage in overt self-harm. Ideation, Suicidal,Ideations, Suicidal,Suicidal Ideations

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