Suicide risk among sexual minority college students: A mediated moderation model of sex and perceived burdensomeness

Résumé

Converging evidence suggests that individuals who identify as lesbian/gay or bisexual are consistently more likely to report suicidal ideation and attempts than heterosexual counterparts, and that these effects may be greater among males. The current study examined sex as a moderator of the relationship between sexual identity and suicidal ideation, and perceived burdensomeness as a mediator of this relationship, controlling for anxiety, and negative and positive affect. Undergraduates (n = 140; mean age, 19.59 years; 71.4% female; 58.6% White; 34.3% lesbian/gay/bisexual) completed measures assessing sexual identity, suicidal ideation and behaviors, anxiety symptom severity, and general negative and positive affect cross-sectionally. Sexual minority undergraduates reported significantly higher levels of perceived burdensomeness, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, attempts, and nonsuicidal self-injury, and lower positive affect, than heterosexual counterparts. Analyses suggested that most of these associations were strongly driven by bisexuals; a notion that was supported by finding a quadratic relationship between the Kinsey Scale and suicidal ideation. A mediated moderation analysis revealed that the relationship between sexual identity and suicidal ideation was only significant among females, and that this relationship was fully mediated by perceived burdensomeness, while controlling for anxiety, and negative and positive affect. Perceived burdensomeness may be an important malleable risk factor for suicide assessment, prevention, and intervention efforts to address, especially among female sexual minority college students. Implications and future directions are discussed. ÉTATS-UNIS GENRE HOMME FEMME JEUNE-ADULTE ÉTUDIANT-UNIVERSITAIRE IDÉATION HOMOSEXUALITÉ IDENTITÉ-SEXUELLE THÉORIE PERCEPTION-SOI FARDEAU APPARTENANCE INTÉGRATION-SOCIALE MARGINALISATION REJET