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Cited by 451LGBTQ Health, Identity, and PolicySuicide and Self-Harm StudiesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Minority stress and mechanisms of risk for depression and suicidal ideation among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth

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Baams, Laura, Grossman, Arnold H., Russell, Stephen T.·2015·Developmental Psychology
DOI 10.1037/a0038994PMC PMC4412799
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Abstract

The experience of minority stress is often named as a cause for mental health disparities among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth, including higher levels of depression and suicidal ideation. The processes or mechanisms through which these disparities occur are understudied. The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide posits 2 key mechanisms for suicidal ideation: perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness (Joiner et al., 2009). The aim of the current study is to assess the mental health and adjustment among LGB youth emphasizing the minority stress model (Meyer, 2003) and the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide (Joiner et al., 2009). With a survey of 876 LGB self-identified youth, levels of coming-out stress, sexual orientation victimization, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, depression, and suicidal ideation were examined. The results of a multigroup mediation model show that for all gender and sexual identity groups, the association of sexual orientation victimization with depression and suicidal ideation was mediated by perceived burdensomeness. For gay, lesbian, and bisexual girls coming-out stress was also found to be related to depression and suicidal ideation, mediated by perceived burdensomeness. The results suggest that feeling like a burden to "people in their lives" is a critical mechanism in explaining higher levels of depression and suicidal ideation among LGB youth. These results have implications for community and social support groups, many of which base their interventions on decreasing social isolation rather than addressing youths' beliefs of burdensomeness. Implications for future research, clinical and community settings are discussed.

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  • LGB women, queer, transgender, and genderqueer young people often experience even higher rates of depressive symptoms compared to cisgender gay and bisexual men.

    “Therefore, an intervention gap remains for LGB women as well as queer, transgender, and genderqueer young people—individuals who often experience even higher rates of depressive symptoms, compared to cisgender gay and bisexual men [1,34,35].”

    From Findings from a feasibility study of an adapted cognitive behavioral therapy group intervention to reduce depression among lgbtq (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer) young people (2019) · cites this paper as [34]

    The Discussion (Implications; page not supplied) reports higher depression levels among LGB girls than boys. But the Methods (Participants and design; page not supplied) says trans* and questioning participants were excluded, so this paper does not support the comparison for queer, transgender, or genderqueer young people. (LLM, conf=0.90)

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  • An intervention gap remains for LGB women as well as queer, transgender, and genderqueer young people.

    “Therefore, an intervention gap remains for LGB women as well as queer, transgender, and genderqueer young people—individuals who often experience even higher rates of depressive symptoms, compared to cisgender gay and bisexual men [1,34,35].”

    From Findings from a feasibility study of an adapted cognitive behavioral therapy group intervention to reduce depression among lgbtq (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer) young people (2019) · cites this paper as [34]

    The Discussion’s Implications section reports higher depression and suicidal ideation among LGB girls than boys and identifies implications for potential interventions. It does not establish an intervention gap for LGB women or for queer, transgender, and genderqueer young people; the Method section says trans* and questioning participants were excluded. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Authors
Baams, L., Grossman, A. H., & Russell, S. T.
Affiliations
  • Utrecht University (NL)
  • New York University (US)
  • University of Arizona (US)
ORCID
Venue
Developmental Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2015-05
Volume
51
Issue
5
Pages
688-696
ISSN
  • 0012-1649 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-0599
DOI
10.1037/a0038994
PMC
PMC4412799
OpenAlex
W2065085535
Cited by
451
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 24 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 46 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 61 · 2020: 84 · 2019: 47 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 2
FWCI
39.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Developmental Psychology (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH091212)
  • Fulbright
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
minority stress, LGB youth, depression, suicidal ideation, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, interpersonal theory of suicide, mental health disparities, mediation, sexual identity, gender identity
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Bisexuality, Depression, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Minority Groups, Psychological Theory, Risk Factors, Stress, Psychological, Homosexuality, Male, Homosexuality, Female, Crime Victims, Young Adult, Suicidal Ideation

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