Age Differences in the Associations Between Outness and Suicidality Among LGBTQ+ Youth

Abstract

Objective

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) youth are at increased risk for suicidality compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers, and outness (the extent to which an individual is open about their LGBTQ+ identity to others) is an important correlate of suicidality. However, previous research has led to mixed findings regarding whether outness functions as a risk or protective factor for suicidality, and the available evidence suggests that age may play an important role. As such, the goal of the current study was to examine whether the associations between outness and suicidality differed between LGBTQ+ adolescents (ages 12–17) and emerging adults (ages 18–24).

Method

The analytic sample included 475 LGBTQ+ youth who completed an online survey after contacting a national, LGBTQ+ crisis service provider.

Results

Results indicated that age significantly moderated the association between outness and suicidal ideation, such that greater outness was significantly associated with greater suicidal ideation for adolescents, but not for emerging adults. In contrast, age did not significantly moderate the associations between outness and likelihood of a past suicide attempt or perceived likelihood of a future suicide attempt. However, the main effect of outness was significant in both models, such that greater outness was significantly associated with a greater likelihood of a past suicide attempt and a greater perceived likelihood of a future suicide attempt.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that the associations between outness and suicidality among LGBTQ+ youth may depend on age as well as the dimension of suicidality (ideation versus attempt).

Highlights

• Being more open about one’s LGBTQ+ identity may confer risk for suicidality.

• The influence of outness on suicidal ideation may be strongest during adolescence.

• There is a need for LGBTQ+ affirming policies and laws to reduce suicidality.

Keywords:

• Age
• LGBTQ+
• outness
• suicidality
• suicide

Additional information

Funding

The collection of data for this study was funded by The Trevor Project through a contract to Jeremy Goldbach at the University of Southern California. Brian Feinstein’s time was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (K08DA045575; PI: Feinstein) and Ethan Mereish’s time was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (K08AA025011; PI: Mereish). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies.

Notes on contributors

Brian A. Feinstein

Brian A. Feinstein, Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Ethan H. Mereish, Department of Health Studies, American University. Mary Rose Mamey, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California. Cindy J. Chang, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University. Jeremy T. Goldbach, The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Ethan H. Mereish

Brian A. Feinstein, Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Ethan H. Mereish, Department of Health Studies, American University. Mary Rose Mamey, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California. Cindy J. Chang, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University. Jeremy T. Goldbach, The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Mary Rose Mamey

Brian A. Feinstein, Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Ethan H. Mereish, Department of Health Studies, American University. Mary Rose Mamey, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California. Cindy J. Chang, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University. Jeremy T. Goldbach, The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Cindy J. Chang

Brian A. Feinstein, Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Ethan H. Mereish, Department of Health Studies, American University. Mary Rose Mamey, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California. Cindy J. Chang, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University. Jeremy T. Goldbach, The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Jeremy T. Goldbach

Brian A. Feinstein, Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Ethan H. Mereish, Department of Health Studies, American University. Mary Rose Mamey, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California. Cindy J. Chang, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University. Jeremy T. Goldbach, The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.