The Social Environment and Suicide Attempts in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth

Studies of human sexuality have noted high rates of suicidality among homosexual youth, but the problem has not been systematically examined. This work was undertaken to identify risk factors for suicide attempts among bisexual and homosexual male youth. Subjects were 137 gay and bisexual males, 14 through 21 years of age, from the upper Midwest and Pacific Northwest. Forty-one subjects (41/137) reported a suicide attempt; and almost half of them described multiple attempts. Twenty-one percent of all attempts resulted in medical or psychiatric admissions. Compared with nonattempters, attempters had more feminine gender roles and adopted a bisexual or homosexual identity at younger ages. Attempters were more likely than peers to report sexual abuse, drug abuse, and arrests for misconduct. The findings parallel previous studies' results and also introduce novel suicide risk factors related to gender nonconformity and sexual milestones.

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Predictors of Suicide Attempts Among Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Youth

Journal of Adolescent Research ◽

10.1177/0743554897124004 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 477-497 ◽

Cited By ~ 123

Author(s):

Scott L. Hershberger ◽

Neil W. PiLkington ◽

Anthony R. D'Augelli

Keyword(s):

Suicide Attempts ◽

Bisexual Youth ◽

And Bisexual

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Elevated Rates of Suicidal Behavior in Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Youth

Crisis ◽

10.1027//0227-5910.21.3.111 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 111-117 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

Christopher Bagley ◽

Pierre Tremblay

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Risk Behavior ◽

Suicidal Behavior ◽

Suicide Attempts ◽

Community Values ◽

The Us ◽

Large Populations ◽

Bisexual Youth ◽

And Bisexual ◽

Heterosexual Youth

Both clinical and epidemiological literature point to elevated rates of suicidal behaviors in gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth (GLBY). Recent North American and New Zealand studies of large populations (especially the US Youth Risk Behavior Surveys from several states) indicate that gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents (males in particular) can have rates of serious suicide attempts at least four times those of apparently heterosexual youth. There are various reasons why this figure is likely to be an underestimate. Reasons for these elevated rates of suicidal behavior include a climate of homophobic persecution in schools, and sometimes in family and community—values and actions that stigmatize homosexuality and that the youth who has not yet “come out” has to endure in silence.

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