Depression and suicidality: Risk and protective factors found in LGBTQ+ millennials raised Seventh-day Adventist

Abstract

Introduction

For many LGBTQ+ individuals, religion has been used to shame and ridicule their identity and behavior leading to feelings of rejection, mental health challenges, and substance use.

Method

A cross-sectional survey was used to explore religiosity/spirituality and substance use as risk or protective factors for depression and suicidality among 299 LGBTQ+ Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) and former SDA millennials.

Results

Regression analyses found indicators of substance use were correlated with higher depression and suicidality while religious behaviors were not associated with higher depression or suicidality. In addition, identifying as gender diverse resulted in significantly higher odds of having suicidal ideation.

Conclusion

Recommendations are given for clinicians working with SDA LGBTQ+ young adults and extrapolated to clients with conservative Christian backgrounds.

Keywords:

• Depression
• suicidality
• Seventh-day Adventist
• risk and resilience

Ethics statement

Ethical approval for this study was gained from the Institutional Review Board at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, Shannon Trecartin, at osf.io/78sm4. The data are not publicly available due to their containing information that could compromise the identity of research participants as well as present social and religious harm.