5 - (IOP 24) Self-efficacy for Self-compassion as a Protective Factor Against Suicidal Thoughts in Sexual Minority Individuals

Given the high rate of suicidal behaviors and deaths by suicide in sexual minorities (Chum et al., 2023), early interventions should address suicidal thoughts in these populations. Interventions should not only decrease risk factors associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors but also promote resilience. However, more remains to be understood about what protective factors are especially impactful for sexual minorities.
Emotion regulation (ER) self-efficacy (ERSE; belief in one’s own ability to regulate emotions) is a protective factor that has garnered attention in the treatment of emotion-related difficulties and may offer benefits for sexual minority mental health. Although research has not examined ERSE in sexual minorities, low ERSE in general is related to lower suicidal desire, suicide attempts, and non-suicidal self-injury (Spitzen et al., 2020). In particular, a recently developed measure of ERSE (PEER-S; Spitzen, 2023) has identified Self-Compassion (ERSE-SC) as a subscale robustly associated with decreased suicidal thoughts and behaviors and psychiatric symptoms.
ERSE-SC may be particularly relevant for sexual minorities, considering research supporting the importance of self-compassion for these individuals. Whereas chronic minority stress can act as a form of longstanding invalidation, conferring a distinctly negative impact on ER and emotional wellbeing in sexual minorities (Cardona et al., 2022), a recent meta-analysis found that self-compassion was related to less distress and minority stress and higher wellbeing in sexual and gender minorities (Helminen et al., 2023). Moreover, sexual minorities routinely report high levels of shame, and shame has been implicated in high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts in these populations (Mereish & Poteat, 2015; Pachankis et al., 2023). Importantly, self-compassion has been linked to reduced shame in both general and sexual minority populations (Cepni et al., 2024; Matos et al., 2015).
Thus, we investigated ERSE-SC as a moderator of the relation of sexual minority status to suicidal thoughts. As part of a larger study, 324 undergraduates completed demographic questionnaires, the PEER-S, and a measure of suicidal thoughts and planning (MEPOS; Anestis et al., 2015).
Sexual minority status was associated with more frequent suicidal thoughts compared to heterosexual individuals (r = -.29, p < .001) and ERSE-SC was negatively associated with frequency of past-year suicidal thoughts (r = .31, p < .001). ERSE-SC moderated the relation of sexual minority status to thought frequency (b = 0.015; SE = .0067; 95% CI [0.002, 0.028]) such that, at low and middle ranges of ERSE-SC, sexual minorities reported more past-year thoughts of suicide. ERSE-SC had an especially impactful buffering effect for sexual minorities to the extent that, at high levels of ERSE-SC, there was no significant association between group and suicidal thoughts.
Individuals high in ERSE-SC believe they can treat themselves with kindness and acceptance in the face of difficult emotions. This belief may help sexual minorities feel more confident about regulating emotions in the face of invalidation and shame, lowering risk of suicide by providing a buffer against suicidal thoughts.