Minority Stress and Relational Mechanisms of Suicide among Sexual Minorities: Subgroup Differences in the Associations between Heterosexist Victimization, Shame, Rejection Sensitivity, and Suicide Risk
Open accessAbstract
Despite sexual orientation disparities in suicide, there is limited research examining factors associated with suicide risk among sexual minorities while considering subgroup differences within this group. This study identified differences between sexual minorities at risk for suicide and those not at risk. The study also examined heterosexist victimization, as one form of minority stress, and two relational mechanisms (i.e., shame and rejection sensitivity) as risk factors for suicidality. We examined a moderated‐mediation model, in which we tested gender and sexual orientation differences in the mediating effects of the relational mechanisms on the association between heterosexist victimization and suicide risk. Participants were recruited online and completed an online survey. The sample included 719 sexual minority adults. Of the sample, 27.7% were at risk for suicide. Suicide risk varied by age, gender, sexual orientation, income, education, and relationship status. Heterosexist victimization, shame, and rejection sensitivity were significant risk factors for suicide. Shame and rejection sensitivity were mediators of the association between heterosexist victimization and suicide risk for subgroups of sexual minorities, mostly lesbian and gay individuals and to some extent bisexual individuals. The findings underscore minority stress, shame, and rejection sensitivity as key intervention points.
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The young age of victims correlates with their vulnerability and impulsiveness and their easy access to toxic drugs.
“The young age of the victims correlates with their vulnerability and impulsiveness and their easy access to toxic drugs [52,53].”
From Toxicological Findings of Self-Poisoning Suicidal Deaths: A Systematic Review by Countries (2022) · cites this paper as [52]
The Results section reports that participants at risk for suicide were about six years younger than those not at risk, supporting an association between younger age and suicide risk in this sexual-minority sample. It does not link younger age to impulsiveness or access to toxic drugs, or establish those as reasons for vulnerability. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe data of the selected studies are coherent with literature data and highlight that the characteristics of suicide by consuming poison show changing trends according to social and demographic factors.
“The data of the selected studies are coherent with literature data and highlight that the characteristics of suicide by consuming poison show changing trends according to social and demographic factors [52,61].”
From Toxicological Findings of Self-Poisoning Suicidal Deaths: A Systematic Review by Countries (2022) · cites this paper as [52]
The Results section, “Prevalence of and Sociodemographic Group Differences in Suicide Risk” (page unavailable), reports differences in suicide risk by age, gender, sexual orientation, income, education, and relationship status. But the paper measures suicide risk in a cross-sectional sample of sexual minorities; it does not establish changing trends over time or address suicide by consuming poison. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
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Toxicological Findings of Self-Poisoning Suicidal Deaths: A Systematic Review by Countries
Albano, G. D., Malta, G., La Spina, C., Rifiorito, A., Provenzano, V., Triolo, V., Vaiano, F., Bertol, E., Zerbo, S., & Argo, A. (2022) · Toxics · doi:10.3390/toxics10110654 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Mereish, E. H., Peters, J. R., & Yen, S.
- Affiliations
- American University (US)
- Brown University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Mereish, Ethan H.
- Venue
- Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2018-03-31
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 547-560
- ISSN
- 0363-0234 (ISSN-L)
- 1943-278X
- PMC
- PMC6167193
- OpenAlex
- W2795073283
- Cited by
- 72
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 4.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (K08AA025011, T32MH019927)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Keywords
- minority stress, sexual minorities, suicide risk, shame, rejection sensitivity, relational mechanisms, subgroup differences, sexual orientation, gender differences, bisexuals, moderated mediation
- MeSH terms
- Sexual and Gender Minorities, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Risk Factors, Self Concept, Shame, Suicide, Violence, Self-Injurious Behavior, Crime Victims, Young Adult, Bullying, Homophobia
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