Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Among Sexual and Gender Minority Youth: a Systematic Review of Recent Research

  • Sexual Orientation and Identity (E Coleman & GN Rider, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Sexual Health Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Research has demonstrated that sexual and gender minority youth are at elevated risk for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs). This systematic review aimed to synthesize and critically examine research published within the last 5 years, with a particular emphasis on (1) prevalence rates; (2) disparities over time; and (3) individual- and macro-level risk and protective factors contributing to risk for SITBs within this population.

Recent Findings

Overall, 97 peer-reviewed articles, published since 2015, were identified for inclusion. Across studies, rates of SITBs among sexual and gender minority youth were substantially elevated compared to heterosexual and/or cisgender youth and the general population. Studies identified several common risk factors, including bullying and other forms of victimization, minority-specific discrimination and harassment, and general mental health factors, as well as several common protective factors, including support from close others, school-based programs, and statewide policies.

Summary

Further research is needed in numerous domains, including the examination of identity-specific factors in large, representative samples, additional protective factors, disparities across subgroups of LGBTQ youth, and intersectionality, as well as the use of longitudinal designs and randomized controlled trials examining interventions in this population. Critical areas for further research on SITBs among this high-risk population are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. WISQARS: web-based inquiry statistics query and reporting system [Internet]. 2016. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars/default.htm.

  2. Miron O, Yu K, Wilf-Miron R, Kohane IS. Suicide rates among adolescents and young adults in the United States, 2000-2017. JAMA. 2019;321:2362–4.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Kann L, McManus T, Harris WA, Shanklin SL, Flint KH, Queen B, et al. Youth risk behavior surveillance—United States, 2017. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2018;67:1–114.

  4. Muehlenkamp JJ, Claes L, Havertape L, Plener PL. International prevalence of adolescent non-suicidal self-injury and deliberate self-harm. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2012;6:10.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Asarnow JR, Porta G, Spirito A, Emslie G, Clarke G, Wagner KD, et al. Suicide attempts and nonsuicidal self-injury in the treatment of resistant depression in adolescents: findings from the TORDIA trial. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2011;50:772–81.

  6. Ribeiro JD, Franklin JC, Fox KR, Bentley KH, Kleiman EM, Chang BP, et al. Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors as risk factors for future suicide ideation, attempts, and death: a meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Psychol Med. 2016;46:225–36.

  7. Haas AP, Eliason M, Mays VM, Mathy RM, Cochran SD, D’Augelli AR, et al. Suicide and suicide risk in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations: review and recommendations. J Homosex. 2011;58:10–51.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Plöderl M, Wagenmakers E, Tremblay P, Ramsay R, Kralovec K, Fartacek C, et al. Suicide risk and sexual orientation: a critical review. Arch Sex Behav. 2013;42:715–27.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Johns MM, Lowry R, Andrzejewski J, Barrios LC, Demissie Z, McManus T, et al. Transgender identity and experiences of violence victimization, substance use, suicide risk, and sexual risk behaviors among high school students—19 states and large urban school districts, 2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019;68:67–71.

  10. Blashill AJ, Calzo JP. Sexual minority children: mood disorders and suicidality disparities. J Affect Disord. 2019;246:96–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Peters JR, Mereish EH, Krek MA, Chuong A, Ranney ML, Solomon J, et al. Sexual orientation differences in non-suicidal self-injury, suicidality, and psychosocial factors among an inpatient psychiatric sample of adolescents. Psychiatry Res. 2020;284:112664.

  12. Espelage DL, Merrin GJ, Hatchel T. Peer victimization and dating violence among LGBTQ youth: the impact of school violence and crime on mental health outcomes. Youth Violence Juvenile Justice US: Sage Publications. 2018;16:156–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Baiden P, LaBrenz CA, Asiedua-Baiden G, Muehlenkamp JJ. Examining the intersection of race/ethnicity and sexual orientation on suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among adolescents: findings from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. J Psychiatr Res. 2020;125:13–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Ballard ME, Jameson JP, Martz DM. Sexual identity and risk behaviors among adolescents in rural Appalachia. J Rural Ment Health. US: Educational Publishing Foundation. 2017;41:17–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Barnett AP, Molock SD, Nieves-Lugo K, Zea MC. Anti-LGBT victimization, fear of violence at school, and suicide risk among adolescents. Psychol Sex Orientat Gend Divers. US: Educational Publishing Foundation. 2019;6:88–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Button DM. A general strain approach comparing the effects of victimization, social support, and perceived self-efficacy on LGBQ and heterosexual youth suicidality. Crim Justice Stud Routledge. 2015;28:484–502.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Caputi TL, Smith D, Ayers JW. Suicide risk behaviors among sexual minority adolescents in the United States, 2015. JAMA. 2017;318:2349–51.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Clements-Nolle K, Lensch T, Baxa A, Gay C, Larson S, Yang W. Sexual identity, adverse childhood experiences, and suicidal behaviors. J Adolesc Health. 2018;62:198–204.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Coulter RWS, Kessel Schneider S, Beadnell B, O’Donnell L. Associations of outside- and within-school adult support on suicidality: moderating effects of sexual orientation. Am J Orthop. 2017;87:671–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Eisenberg ME, Gower AL, McMorris BJ. Emotional health of lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning bullies: does it differ from straight bullies? J Youth Adolesc. 2016;45:105–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Fish JN, Pasley K. Sexual (minority) trajectories, mental health, and alcohol use: a longitudinal study of youth as they transition to adulthood. J Youth Adolesc. 2015;44:1508–27.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Goodin A, Elswick A, Fallin-Bennett A. Mental health disparities and high-risk alcohol use among non-heterosexual high school students. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2019;55:570–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Huang Y, Li P, Guo L, Gao X, Xu Y, Huang G, et al. Sexual minority status and suicidal behaviour among Chinese adolescents: a nationally representative cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. British Medical Journal Publishing Group. 2018;8:e020969.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Huang Y, Li P, Lai Z, Jia X, Xiao D, Wang T, et al. Association between sexual minority status and suicidal behavior among Chinese adolescents: a moderated mediation model. J Affect Disord. 2018;239:85–92.

  25. Jiang Y, Reilly-Chammat R, Cooper T, Viner-Brown S. Disparities in health risk behaviors and health conditions among Rhode Island sexual minority and unsure high school students. J Sch Health. 2018;88:803–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Johns MM, Lowry R, Demissie Z, Robin L. Harassment and mental distress among adolescent female students by sexual identity and BMI or perceived weight status. Obesity. 2017;25:1421–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Johns MM, Lowry R, Rasberry CN, Dunville R, Robin L, Pampati S, et al. Violence victimization, substance use, and suicide risk among sexual minority high school students-United States, 2015-2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018;67:1211–5.

  28. Kim GH, Ahn HS, Kim HJ. Type of sexual intercourse experience and suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts among youths: a cross-sectional study in South Korea. BMC Public Health. 2016;16:1229. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5142152/.

  29. Kwak Y, Kim J. Associations between Korean adolescents’ sexual orientation and suicidal ideation, plans, attempts, and medically serious attempts. Iran J Public Health. 2017;46:475–84.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Lee D, Kim S, Woo SY, Yoon B, Choi D. Associations of health-risk behaviors and health cognition with sexual orientation among adolescents in school: analysis of pooled data from Korean nationwide survey from 2008 to 2012. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016;95:e3746.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Liu RT, Walsh RFL, Sheehan AE, Cheek SM, Carter SM. Suicidal ideation and behavior among sexual minority and heterosexual youth: 1995–2017. Pediatrics. 2020;145(3):e20192221. Available from: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/145/3/e20192221.

  32. Lowry R, Dunville R, Robin L, Kann L. Early sexual debut and associated risk behaviors among sexual minority youth. Am J Prev Med. 2017;52:379–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Mereish EH, Sheskier M, Hawthorne DJ, Goldbach JT. Sexual orientation disparities in mental health and substance use among Black American young people in the USA: effects of cyber and bias-based victimisation. Cult Health Sex. 2019;21:985–98.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Mueller AS, James W, Abrutyn S, Levin ML. Suicide ideation and bullying among US adolescents: examining the intersections of sexual orientation, gender, and race/ethnicity. Am J Public Health American Public Health Association. 2015;105:980–5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Oginni OA, Robinson EJ, Jones A, Rahman Q, Rimes KA. Mediators of increased self-harm and suicidal ideation in sexual minority youth: a longitudinal study. Psychol Med. 2019;49:2524–32.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Perales F, Campbell A. Early roots of sexual-orientation health disparities: associations between sexual attraction, health and well-being in a national sample of Australian adolescents. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2019;73:954–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Proulx CN, Coulter RWS, Egan JE, Matthews DD, Mair C. Associations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning-inclusive sex education with mental health outcomes and school-based victimization in U.S. high school students. J Adolesc Health. 2019;64:608–14.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. Romanelli M, Xiao Y, Lindsey MA. Sexual identity–behavior profiles and suicide outcomes among heterosexual, lesbian, and gay sexually active adolescents. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2020. Available from:. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12634.

  39. Taliaferro LA, Muehlenkamp JJ. Nonsuicidal self-injury and suicidality among sexual minority youth: risk factors and protective connectedness factors. Acad Pediatr. 2017;17:715–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Zaza S, Kann L, Barrios LC. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents: population estimate and prevalence of health behaviors. JAMA. 2016;316:2355–6.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  41. Zhang L, Finan LJ, Bersamin M, Fisher DA. Sexual orientation–based depression and suicidality health disparities: the protective role of school-based health centers. J Res Adolesc. 2020;30:134–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Arnarsson A, Sveinbjornsdottir S, Thorsteinsson EB, Bjarnason T. Suicidal risk and sexual orientation in adolescence: a population-based study in Iceland. Scand J Public Health. 2015;43:497–505.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Bouris A, Everett BG, Heath RD, Elsaesser CE, Neilands TB. Effects of victimization and violence on suicidal ideation and behaviors among sexual minority and heterosexual adolescents. LGBT Health. 2016;3:153–61.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. DeCamp W, Bakken NW. Self-injury, suicide ideation, and sexual orientation: differences in causes and correlates among high school students. J Inj Violence Res. 2016;8:15–24.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  45. Fox KR, Choukas-Bradley S, Salk RH, Marshal MP, Thoma BC. Mental health among sexual and gender minority adolescents: examining interactions with race and ethnicity. J Consult Clin Psychol US: American Psychological Association. 2020;88:402–15.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  46. Richardson SC, Hales T, Meehan E, Waters A. Sexual minorities and teen suicide attempts in a southeastern state with prominent exclusionary policies. Death Stud. 2020;1–6. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2020.1744202.

  47. Roberts R, Black G, Hart T. Same-sex-attracted adolescents in rural Australia: stressors, depression and suicidality, and barriers to seeking mental health support. Rural Remote Health. 2018;18:4364.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Boyas JF, Villarreal-Otálora T, Alvarez-Hernandez LR, Fatehi M. Suicide ideation, planning, and attempts: the case of the Latinx LGB youth. Health Promot Perspect. 2019;9:198–206.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  49. Button DM. Understanding the effects of victimization: applying general strain theory to the experiences of LGBQ youth. Deviant Behav. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. 2016;37:537–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Feinstein BA, Turner BC, Beach LB, Korpak AK, Phillips G. Racial/ethnic differences in mental health, substance use, and bullying victimization among self-identified bisexual high school-aged youth. LGBT Health. Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. 2019;6:174–83.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  51. Turpin RE, Rosario A, Wang MQ. Victimization, depression, and the suicide cascade in sexual minority youth. J Ment Health Abingdon Engl. 2020;29:225–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Whitaker K, Shapiro VB, Shields JP. School-based protective factors related to suicide for lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents. J Adolesc Health. 2016;58:63–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Huang Y, Li P, Lai Z, Jia X, Xiao D, Wang T, et al. Chinese sexual minority male adolescents’ suicidality and body mass index. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15:2558. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266787/.

  54. Cutuli JJ, Treglia D, Herbers JE. Adolescent homelessness and associated features: prevalence and risk across eight states. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2020;51:48–58.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Turpin RE, Boekeloo B, Dyer T. Sexual identity modifies the association between bullying and suicide planning among adolescents with same-sex sexual partners. J LGBT Youth Routledge. 2019;16:300–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Raifman J, Charlton BM, Arrington-Sanders R, Chan PA, Rusley J, Mayer KH, et al. Sexual orientation and suicide attempt disparities among US adolescents: 2009–2017. Pediatrics. 2020;145:e20191658. Available from: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/145/3/e20191658.

  57. Raifman J, Moscoe E, Austin SB, McConnell M. Difference-in-differences analysis of the association between state same-sex marriage policies and adolescent suicide attempts. JAMA Pediatr. 2017;171:350–6.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  58. Turpin RE, Rosario AD, Dyer TV. Substance use and suicide attempts among adolescent males who are members of a sexual minority: a comparison of synthesized substance-use measures. Am J Epidemiol. 2020. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwaa055/5819315.

  59. Toomey RB, Syvertsen AK, Flores M. Are developmental assets protective against suicidal behavior? Differential associations by sexual orientation. J Youth Adolesc. 2019;48:788–801.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. DeCou CR, Lynch SM. Sexual orientation, gender, and attempted suicide among adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Psychol Serv US: Educational Publishing Foundation. 2018;15:363–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Irish M, Solmi F, Mars B, King M, Lewis G, Pearson RM, et al. Depression and self-harm from adolescence to young adulthood in sexual minorities compared with heterosexuals in the UK: a population-based cohort study. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. Elsevier. 2019;3:91–8.

  62. Li X, Zheng H, Tucker W, Xu W, Wen X, Lin Y, et al. Research on relationships between sexual identity, adverse childhood experiences and non-suicidal self-injury among rural high school students in less developed areas of China. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16:3158.

  63. Liu RT. Temporal trends in the prevalence of nonsuicidal self-injury among sexual minority and heterosexual youth from 2005 through 2017. JAMA Pediatr. 2019. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6547150/.

  64. Monto MA, McRee N, Deryck FS. Nonsuicidal self-injury among a representative sample of US adolescents, 2015. Am J Public Health. 2018;108:1042–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  65. Watson RJ, Peter T, McKay T, Edkins T, Saewyc E. Evidence of changing patterns in mental health and depressive symptoms for sexual minority adolescents. J Gay Lesbian Ment Health. 2018;22:120–38.

  66. Amos R, Manalastas EJ, White R, Bos H, Patalay P. Mental health, social adversity, and health-related outcomes in sexual minority adolescents: a contemporary national cohort study. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020;4:36–45.

  67. Fraser G, Wilson MS, Garisch JA, Robinson K, Brocklesby M, Kingi T, et al. Non-suicidal self-injury, sexuality concerns, and emotion regulation among sexually diverse adolescents: a multiple mediation analysis. Arch Suicide Res. 2018;22:432–52.

  68. Hirschtritt ME, Dauria EF, Marshall BDL, Tolou-Shams M. Sexual minority, justice-involved youth: a hidden population in need of integrated mental health, substance use, and sexual health services. J Adolesc Health. 2018;63:421–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  69. Becerra-Culqui TA, Liu Y, Nash R, Cromwell L, Flanders WD, Getahun D, et al. Mental health of transgender and gender nonconforming youth compared with their peers. Pediatrics. 2018;141:e20173845. Available from: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/141/5/e20173845.

  70. Eisenberg ME, Gower AL, McMorris BJ, Rider GN, Shea G, Coleman E. Risk and protective factors in the lives of transgender/gender nonconforming adolescents. J Adolesc Health. 2017;61:521–6.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  71. Jackman KB, Caceres BA, Kreuze EJ, Bockting WO. Suicidality among gender minority youth: analysis of 2017 youth risk behavior survey data. Arch Suicide Res. 2019:1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2019.1678539.

  72. Katz-Wise SL, Ehrensaft D, Vetters R, Forcier M, Austin SB. Family functioning and mental health of transgender and gender-nonconforming youth in the Trans Teen and Family Narratives Project. J Sex Res. 2018;55:582–90.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  73. Perez-Brumer A, Day JK, Russell ST, Hatzenbuehler ML. Prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation among transgender youth in California: findings from a representative, population-based sample of high school students. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2017;56:739–46.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  74. Thoma BC, Salk RH, Choukas-Bradley S, Goldstein TR, Levine MD, Marshal MP. Suicidality disparities between transgender and cisgender adolescents. Pediatrics. 2019;144:e20191183. Available from: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/5/e20191183.

  75. Gower AL, Rider GN, Brown C, McMorris BJ, Coleman E, Taliaferro LA, et al. Supporting transgender and gender diverse youth: protection against emotional distress and substance use. Am J Prev Med. 2018;55:787–94.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  76. Hatchel T, Valido A, De Pedro KT, Huang Y, Espelage DL. Minority stress among transgender adolescents: the role of peer victimization, school belonging, and ethnicity. J Child Fam Stud. 2019;28:2467–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  77. Veale JF, Watson RJ, Peter T, Saewyc EM. Mental health disparities among Canadian transgender youth. J Adolesc Health. 2017;60:44–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  78. Nahata L, Quinn GP, Caltabellotta NM, Tishelman AC. Mental health concerns and insurance denials among transgender adolescents. LGBT Health. 2017;4:188–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Peng K, Zhu X, Gillespie A, Wang Y, Gao Y, Xin Y, et al. Self-reported rates of abuse, neglect, and bullying experienced by transgender and gender-nonbinary adolescents in China. JAMA Netw Open American Medical Association. 2019;2:–e1911058.

  80. Ross-Reed DE, Reno J, Peñaloza L, Green D, FitzGerald C. Family, school, and peer support are associated with rates of violence victimization and self-harm among gender minority and cisgender youth. J Adolesc Health Elsevier. 2019;65:776–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Butler C, Joiner R, Bradley R, Bowles M, Bowes A, Russell C, et al. Self-harm prevalence and ideation in a community sample of cis, trans and other youth. Int J Transgend Taylor & Francis. 2019;20:447–58.

  82. Taliaferro LA, McMorris BJ, Eisenberg ME. Connections that moderate risk of non-suicidal self-injury among transgender and gender non-conforming youth. Psychiatry Res. 2018;268:65–7.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  83. Meyer IH. Does an improved social environment for sexual and gender minorities have implications for a new minority stress research agenda? Psychol Sex Rev. 2016;7:81–90.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  84. Smith TW, Son J, Kim J. Public attitudes toward homosexuality and gay rights across time and countries. Unpubl Manuscr. 2014. Available from: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4p93w90c.

  85. Peter T, Edkins T, Watson R, Adjei J, Homma Y, Saewyc E. Trends in suicidality among sexual minority and heterosexual students in a Canadian population-based cohort study. Psychol Sex Orientat Gend Divers. 2017;4:115–23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  86. Porta CM, Watson RJ, Doull M, Eisenberg ME, Grumdahl N, Saewyc E. Trend disparities in emotional distress and suicidality among sexual minority and heterosexual Minnesota adolescents from 1998 to 2010. J Sch Health. 2018;88:605–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  87. Gattamorta KA, Salerno JP, Castro AJ. Intersectionality and health behaviors among US high school students: examining race/ethnicity, sexual identity, and sex. J Sch Health. 2019;89:800–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  88. Higgins Tejera C, Horner-Johnson W, Andresen EM. Application of an intersectional framework to understanding the association of disability and sexual orientation with suicidal ideation among Oregon teens. Disabil Health J. 2019;12:557–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  89. Meyer IH. Minority stress and mental health in gay men. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003. pp. 699–731. Available from: http://search.proquest.com/psycinfo/docview/619998052/A2AF9615B7F34ED7PQ/7?accountid=4840.

  90. Baams L, Grossman AH, Russell ST. Minority stress and mechanisms of risk for depression and suicidal ideation among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. Dev Psychol. 2015;51:688–96.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  91. Hatzenbuehler ML. How does sexual minority stigma “get under the skin”? A psychological mediation framework. Psychol Bull. 2009;135:707–30.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  92. Duarte C, Pittman SK, Thorsen MM, Cunningham RM, Ranney ML. Correlation of minority status, cyberbullying, and mental health: a cross-sectional study of 1031 adolescents. J Child Adolesc Trauma Germany: Springer. 2018;11:39–48.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  93. Dunn HK, Clark MA, Pearlman DN. The relationship between sexual history, bullying victimization, and poor mental health outcomes among heterosexual and sexual minority high school students: a feminist perspective. J Interpers Violence. SAGE PublicationsSage CA: Los Angeles, CA; 2015. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260515599658.

  94. Eisenberg ME, McMorris BJ, Gower AL, Chatterjee D. Bullying victimization and emotional distress: is there strength in numbers for vulnerable youth? J Psychosom Res. 2016;86:13–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  95. Hatchel T, Merrin GJ, Espelage D. Peer victimization and suicidality among LGBTQ youth: the roles of school belonging, self-compassion, and parental support. J LGBT Youth. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis; 2018.

  96. Taliaferro LA, Gloppen KM, Muehlenkamp JJ, Eisenberg ME. Depression and suicidality among bisexual youth: a nationally representative sample. J LGBT Youth. Routledge. 2018;15:16–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  97. Lardier DT Jr, Bermea AM, Pinto SA, Garcia-Reid P, Reid RJ. The relationship between sexual minority status and suicidal ideations among urban Hispanic adolescents. J LGBT Issues Couns Routledge. 2017;11:174–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  98. Mendoza-Pérez JC, Ortiz-Hernández L. Violence as mediating variable in mental health disparities associated to sexual orientation among Mexican youths. J Homosex. 2019;66:510–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  99. Ioerger M, Henry KL, Chen PY, Cigularov KP, Tomazic RG. Beyond same-sex attraction: gender-variant-based victimization is associated with suicidal behavior and substance use for other-sex attracted adolescents. PLoS One. 2015;10:e0129976.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  100. Goldbach JT, Schrager SM, Mamey MR. Criterion and divergent validity of the Sexual Minority Adolescent Stress Inventory. Front Psychol. 2017;8:2057. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5712417/.

  101. Smith DM, Wang SB, Carter ML, Fox KR, Hooley JM. Longitudinal predictors of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in sexual and gender minority adolescents. J Abnorm Psychol. 2020;129:114–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  102. Paul JC, Monahan EK. Sexual minority status and child maltreatment: how do health outcomes among sexual minority young adults differ due to child maltreatment exposure? Child Abuse Negl. 2019;96:104099.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  103. Hatchel T, Ingram KM, Mintz S, Hartley C, Valido A, Espelage DL, et al. Predictors of suicidal ideation and attempts among LGBTQ adolescents: the roles of help-seeking beliefs, peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and drug use. J Child Fam Stud. 2019;28:2443–55.

  104. Huang Y, Li P, Lai Z, Jia X, Xiao D, Wang T, et al. Role of sleep quality in mediating the relationship between sexual minority status and suicidal behavior among Chinese adolescents. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2018;11:607–15.

  105. Agnew-Brune CB, Balaji AB, Mustanski B, Newcomb ME, Prachand N, Braunstein SL, et al. Mental health, social support, and HIV-related sexual risk behaviors among HIV-negative adolescent sexual minority males: three U.S. cities, 2015. AIDS Behav. 2019;23:3419–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  106. Annor FB, Clayton HB, Gilbert LK, Ivey-Stephenson AZ, Irving SM, David-Ferdon C, et al. Sexual orientation discordance and nonfatal suicidal behaviors in U.S. high school students. Am J Prev Med. 2018;54:530–8.

  107. Reyes MES, Victorino MC, Chua AP, Oquendo FY, Puti AS, Reglos AA, et al. Perceived parental support as a protective factor against suicidal ideation of self-identified lesbian and gay Filipino adolescents. N Am J Psychol. 2015. Available from: /paper/Perceived-Parental-Support-as-a-Protective-Factor-Reyes-Victorino/408aee73a322f5dd6f7a8605572e853fdc8d80e1.

  108. Burk J, Park M, Saewyc EM. A media-based school intervention to reduce sexual orientation prejudice and its relationship to discrimination, bullying, and the mental health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents in western Canada: a population-based evaluation. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15:2447.

  109. Seelman KL, Walker MB. Do anti-bullying laws reduce in-school victimization, fear-based absenteeism, and suicidality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning youth? J Youth Adolesc. 2018;47:2301–19.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4301, USA

    Megan L. Rogers

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    Megan L. Rogers

  3. Department of Population Health Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

    Lindsay A. Taliaferro

Authors
  1. Megan L. Rogers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lindsay A. Taliaferro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Megan L. Rogers.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no disclosures or conflicts of interest to report.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Sexual Orientation and Identity

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rogers, M.L., Taliaferro, L.A. Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Among Sexual and Gender Minority Youth: a Systematic Review of Recent Research. Curr Sex Health Rep 12, 335–350 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-020-00295-z

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-020-00295-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation