Suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt and non‑suicidal self‑harm amongst lesbian, gay and bisexual adults compared with heterosexual adults: Analysis of data from two nationally representative English household surveys

Purpose We aimed to compare differences in suicidality and self-harm between specific lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) groups, and investigate whether minority stress factors might contribute to any associations, addressing methodological limitations of previous research. Methods We analysed data combined from two population-based representative household surveys of English adults (N = 10,443) sampled in 2007 and 2014. […]

Suicidality among sexual minority adults: Gender, age, and race/ethnicity differences

Introduction Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals have elevated suicide risk, but there is little information available about how this risk may vary by gender, age, and race/ethnicity. Methods This study examined past-year suicide thoughts, plans, and attempts among adult respondents to the 2015–2019 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (pooled N=191,954). Logistic regression was […]

A grounded theory of sexual and gender minority suicide risk: The sexual and gender minority suicide risk and protection model

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals experience higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) compared to cisgender and heterosexual individuals. Increased risk for STBs can be conceptualized via (a) suicide risk models (e.g., ideation-to-action frameworks) and (b) SGM health literature (e.g., minority stress frameworks); yet, integration of these literatures in conceptualizing SGM suicide risk […]

A suicide prevention intervention for emerging adult sexual and gender minority groups: Protocol for a pilot hybrid effectiveness randomized controlled trial

Background: Suicide attempts and suicide death disproportionately affect sexual and gender minority emerging adults (age 18-24 years). However, suicide prevention strategies tailored for emerging adult sexual and gender minority (EA-SGM) groups are not widely available. The Safety Planning Intervention (SPI) has strong evidence for reducing the risk for suicide in the general population, but it is […]

Suicidality and protective factors among sexual and gender minority youth and adults in Canada: A cross‑sectional, population‑based study

Background Sexual and gender minority populations experience elevated risks for suicidality. This study aimed to assess prevalence and disparities in non-fatal suicidality and potential protective factors related to social support and health care access among sexual and gender minority youth and adults and their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts in Canada. The second objective was to […]

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual behavioral health: Results from the 2021 and 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Behavioral Health: Results from the 2021 and 2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health presents data on key substance use and mental health indicators by sexual identity and gender among adults aged 18 or older in the United States. Estimates are based on pooled data from the 2021 and 2022 […]

Eating disorders in sexual minority adolescents and young adults: Examining clinical characteristics and psychiatric co‑morbidities in an inpatient medical setting

Background Sexual minority adolescents and young adults are at higher risk of eating disorders compared to heterosexual peers. However, little is known about the clinical and psychiatric presentation of this population requiring inpatient medical stabilization. Given the increased risk for eating disorder behaviors in sexual minority individuals amidst increased rates of medical hospitalizations secondary to […]

Sexual identity-behavior profiles, and suicide outcomes among heterosexual, lesbian, and gay sexually active adolescents

Objective Adolescents’ sexual behaviors can be incongruent with those assumed to align with their sexual identity. Identity–behavior profiles permit the characterization of youth who might remain undetected using a single-dimensional assessment of sexual orientation. This study examined suicide risks among four distinct sexual identity–behavior profiles of youth: heterosexual with other-sex partners only, heterosexual with any […]

Sexual orientation as a social determinant of suicidal ideation: A study of the adult life span

Objective Rates of suicide attempts are highest among younger ages and women, and especially elevated among sexual minorities (lesbian, gay, and bisexual [LGB] people). We examined the prevalence of lifetime suicide ideation among sexual minorities and sought to determine whether this relationship depended on age and gender. Method Using data from the Annual Component of […]

Self-injury in young bisexual people: A microlongitudinal investigation (SIBL) of thwarted belongingness and self-esteem on non-suicidal self-injury

Background Bisexual people are at an elevated risk for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Psychological factors including self-esteem and thwarted belongingness may help explain this risk. The aim of the current study was to investigate associations between self-esteem, thwarted belongingness and NSSI urges and behavior in young bisexual people. Methods Participants aged 16–25 from 25 countries took […]

Dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents (DBT-A): Outcomes among sexual minorities at high risk for suicide

The alarming rates and pervasiveness of suicidal and self-destructive behaviors (e.g., non-suicidal self-injury) among young sexual minorities represent a major public health concern. We set out to examine whether an empirically driven treatment for suicide and self-harm, dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents (DBT-A), provides benefits for adolescents who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or questioning […]

Application of minority stress and the interpersonal theory of suicide in bisexual+ versus gay/lesbian young adults

Introduction Sexual minority young adults are at increased risk for suicidal ideation (SI) compared with heterosexual young adults. Though several frameworks exist to explain the development of suicide risk, including the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS) and the Minority Stress Model, few studies have examined these frameworks simultaneously. This study examines these frameworks longitudinally among […]

Sexual identity development: Relationship with lifetime suicidal ideation in sexual minority women

Aims and objectives—This study draws on a life course perspective to evaluate, in a sample of sexual minority women: (1) the relationship between age at reaching sexual identity milestones and risk of  suicidal ideation, (2) developmental stages or stages of sexual identity development that represent greatest risk, and (3) the relationship between age of reaching […]