7 - (IOP 24) Depression, Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors, and Non-suicidal Self-injury by Dimensions of Romantic Relationships Among Bisexual+ Adults

Multi-gender attracted (e.g., bisexual, pansexual, queer; bisexual+) individuals experience higher rates of depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs), and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) than heterosexual and lesbian/gay individuals. Among non-bisexual+ populations, being in a romantic relationship is often found to be health protective, yet accumulating evidence suggests that relationship involvement may not confer the same benefits for bisexual+ individuals. Further, higher relationship satisfaction and lower conflict are associated with better health among partnered individuals in the general population, including evidence of lower depressive symptoms and rates of STBs. However, this research is lacking among bisexual+ individuals, who experience unique minority stressors related to their romantic relationships and the gender of their partner. The present study examined depressive symptoms and past 6-month suicidal ideation (SI), suicide plan, and NSSI as a function of the interaction between participant gender and relationship status/composition (single vs. same-gender vs. different-gender relationship) among 492 bisexual+ adults. Further, we examined relationship satisfaction and conflict as correlates of depressive symptoms, SI, suicide plan, and NSSI among partnered bisexual+ individuals, and the degree to which relationship satisfaction and conflict differed by the interaction between participant gender and relationship composition (same- vs. different-gender). Results from multiple linear and logistic regression models indicated that health outcomes did not differ between single and partnered bisexual+ people, suggesting that romantic relationship involvement may not be protective against depressive symptoms, STBs, and NSSI in this population. Depressive symptoms and SI differed by the interaction between gender and relationship composition, such that bisexual+ women and nonbinary people exhibited lower depressive symptoms in same-gender than different-gender relationships, whereas bisexual+ men exhibited marginally higher depressive symptoms in same-gender than different-gender relationships. Bisexual+ women also exhibited lower past 6-month SI in same-gender than different-gender relationships. Relationship conflict, but not satisfaction, was positively associated with depressive symptoms when both were included in the same model. The main effects and interaction of participant gender and relationship composition were not associated with relationship conflict or satisfaction. Our findings establish a foundation for understanding associations between relationship factors and depressive symptoms, STB, and NSSI in this health disparity population. Further research is needed to understand the factors that are associated with differences in health outcomes by the interaction between participant gender and relationship composition. These results highlight the importance of clinicians attending to romantic relationship factors, such as conflict, when working with bisexual+ individuals experiencing depression.