Daily Oppression-Based Stressors, Social Support, Suicide Ideation, and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Ideation Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents.

Abstract

Purpose: Sexual and gender minority adolescents (SGMA) are at heighted risk for suicide ideation (SI) and nonsuicidal self-injury ideation (NSSII) compared to their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. Oppression-based stressors are posited to explain these disparities. However, there is limited research examining protective factors that mitigate the impact of oppression-based stressors. We conducted a 28-day daily diary study to test the moderating effects of daily general and SGM-affirmative social support on the associations between oppression-based stressors and SI and NSSII among SGMA.

Methods: Participants were 92 SGMA, ages 12-19 years (M = 16.28; standard deviation = 1.77; 52% cisgender; 61% White, non-Hispanic/Latine). Participants completed one daily survey per day over a 28-day monitoring period and demonstrated high compliance.

Results: On days SGMA experienced greater oppression-based stressors than their average, they had a greater likelihood of reporting same-day SI and NSSII. On days SGMA had greater SGM-affirmative social supports than their average, they had a lower likelihood of endorsing samde-day SI but not NSSII. General social supports were not associated with a lower likelihood of endorsing SI or NSSII. The interactions between all social supports and oppression-based stressors were not significant for SI or NSSII.

Discussion: The novel results underscore the harm oppression-based stressors inflict on SGMA's mental health, and highlight the unique importance of SGM-affirmative support in reducing risk for daily SI. Suicide interventions for this population may need to target SGM-affirmative social supports and exposure to or impact of oppression-based stressors.