Do Social Support, Perceived Stress, and Psychological Distress Mediate the Relationship Between Social Problem-Solving and Suicidality in People With Gender Dysphoria?

Abstract

Individuals with gender dysphoria (GD) often exhibit suicidal inclinations. In the present study, we investigated the scope of suicidal ideation and attempts and the roles of perceived social support, stress, and psychological distress in mediating social problem-solving and suicidality in individuals with GD. Two hundred and five adults with GD (110 GD assigned female at birth [AFAB]; 95 GD assigned male at birth [AMAB]) completed a self-report survey including questions about suicide ideation and attempts, as well as the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R). We utilized correlation, regression, and mediation analyses to assess models. Overall, both suicidal ideation (for AFAB = 61.8%; for AMAB = 61.1%; p = 0.91) and suicide attempts (for AFAB = 43.6%; for AMAB = 37.9%; p = 0.41) were common in individuals with GD. The two groups did not differ in GHQ-12, PSS, and SPSI-R total scale scores, but AMAB scored lower on the MSPSS total score. Perceived social support, perceived stress, and psychological distress partially mediated social problem-solving and suicidal ideation, whereas perceived stress and psychological distress fully mediated social problem-solving and suicide attempts. There is a need to develop interventions to improve the psychological well-being of people with GD. Current results suggest that problem-solving therapy may effectively suit the need to manage suicidality in people with GD.