(PS6-22) Expectations of Discrimination Mediate the Association Between Thwarted Interpersonal Needs and Suicidality in Sexual Minorities

Abstract Text: Sexual minorities are at increased risk for minority stress (Meyer & Frost, 2012), and as a result, researchers have found evidence that they are at higher risk than their heterosexual and cisgender peers for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts (Fulginiti et al., 2021; Mereish et al., 2014; Rogers et al., 2021). According to the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS), perceived burdensomeness (PB) and thwarted belongingness (TB) interact to predict heightened suicidality (Van Orden et al., 2010). Additionally, sexual minority stress in particular is related to both PB and TB (Fulginiti et al., 2021). Feeling as though one does not belong (TB) or feeling like a burden to others (PB) are also related to expectations of discrimination due to their identity (Testa et al., 2017). Expectations of discrimination, however, may also predict heightened suicidality in addition to PB and TB. We hypothesized that both PB and TB will be related to suicidality through the mediating path of expectations of discrimination.
Participants from Amazon Mechanical Turk (N = 379; Mage = 35.3, 53% cisgender women, 70.6% white, 49.1% bisexual) completed the Minority Stress Scale, the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire, and the Suicide Behavior Questionnaire. We tested our hypotheses using two mediation models.
Results supported both hypothesized mediation models. The model with PB as the predictor explained 5.15% of the variance in suicidality (R2 = 0.0515, F(1, 377) = 20.486, p < 0.01). PB significantly predicted expectations of discrimination (path a; b = 0.107, p < 0.01) and expectations of discrimination predicted suicidality (path b; b = 0.147, p < 0.05). PB significantly predicted suicidality in the model (path c’; b = 0.267, p < 0.01). The percentile bootstrap confidence interval examining the indirect effect of PB on suicidality through expectations of discrimination did not contain zero (ab = 0.016, 95% CI [0.003, 0.032]), suggesting a partial mediating effect of PB on suicidality through expectations of discrimination. The model with TB as the predictor explained 5.17% of the variance in suicidality (R2 =0.0517, F (1, 377) = 20.569, p < 0.01). TB significantly predicted expectations of discrimination (path a; b = 0.106, p < 0.01) and expectations of discrimination predicted suicidality (path b; b = 0.170, p < 0.01). TB significantly predicted suicidality in the model (path c’; b = 0.225, p < 0.01). The percentile bootstrap confidence interval examining the indirect effect of TB on suicidality through expectations of discrimination did not contain zero (ab = 0.018, 95% CI [0.005, 0.035]), suggesting a partial mediating effect of TB on suicidality through expectations of discrimination.
Findings indicate that both thwarted interpersonal needs and expectations of discrimination predict suicidality and that expectations of discrimination mediate the associations between thwarted interpersonal needs and suicidality. Findings are consistent with both the IPTS and with minority stress theory. Researchers and clinicians should consider the interactive effects of interpersonal risk factors and the stress associated with holding a sexual minority identity.