Burden, Belonging, and Homelessness: Disclosure and Social Network Differences among LGBTQ Youth Recruited from a Suicide Crisis Service Provider

ABSTRACT

Among LGBTQ youth, suicidality and homelessness occur at heightened rates. Using the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (ITS), this study seeks to explore the associations of having a parent, family member, friend, or romantic partner in one’s social network and not being “out” to specific network members (lack of disclosure) with ITS constructs (perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belonging), considering homelessness history. Data include 462 youth aged 12–24 who contacted an LGBTQ youth-focused suicide crisis provider from 2015 to 2017. Disclosure status and network composition differed by homelessness experience. Homeless youth were more likely to disclose to their parents and less likely to disclose to other family members. Youth who had not disclosed to their parents reported higher perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belonging whereas having more family members and peers in one’s network was associated with lower scores on ITS constructs. Implications for prevention approaches with youth who may be at increased risk for suicide are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Sexual and gender minorities
• homelessness
• suicide
• social networks
• social support

Disclosure statement

Each author declares that they have no conflict of interest, real or perceived.

Ethical approval

The study was approved by the affiliated university’s institutional review board. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent or assent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by a grant from The Trevor Project awarded to Jeremy T. Goldbach, PhD.