Symposia
LGBQT+
Benjamin F. Shepherd, M.Ed.
Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Cindy J. Chang, PsyM
Student
Rutgers University
Philadelphia, PA
Christina Dyar, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio
Paula M. Brochu, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Edward Selby, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Rutgers University
Piscataway, NJ
Brian Feinstein, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
Associate Professor
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
N. Chicago, Illinois
Background: Sexual minoritized individuals engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) at higher rates than their heterosexual peers. Disclosing one’s sexual minoritized identity can put one at risk for experiencing discrimination, which is linked to greater engagement in NSSI. However, discrimination has yet to be tested as a mechanism linking sexual identity disclosure to NSSI. Understanding how sexual identity disclosure can impact NSSI has the potential to inform interventions to reduce sexual orientation disparities in NSSI.
Method: To better understand the interplay between disclosure and NSSI, the current study longitudinally examined perceived sexual orientation-based discrimination as a mediator of the association between sexual identity disclosure and NSSI among a sample of 792 sexual minoritized young adults living in the United States (ages 18-29; M=23.20, SD=3.20). Recruited via Prolific, half of participants identified as gay/lesbian and half identified as bisexual+; 43% were cisgender men, 42% cisgender women, and 15% transgender/gender diverse. Most participants identified as White (62%); 12% as Latinx, 10% as Asian, 8% as Black, 7% as Biracial, and 1% identified as another race/ethnicity.
Results: At baseline, 60% of our sample reported lifetime NSSI, 12% reported engaging in NSSI in the past month at one-month follow-up, and 10% reported engaging in NSSI at two-month follow-up. Higher levels of identity disclosure at baseline were associated with greater instances of NSSI at two-month follow-up via greater discrimination at one-month follow-up, even after controlling for previous levels of depression and demographic characteristics (age, sexual orientation, gender, and race/ethnicity), b=.03, SE=.01, 95% CI [.01,.06], p</em>=.041. However, the indirect effect became non-significant after controlling for previous levels of discrimination and NSSI, p=.293.
Conclusion: Findings suggest identity disclosure can possibly lead to higher rates of NSSI by increasing exposure to discrimination. However, identity disclosure does not appear to predict acute increases in discrimination. Future research is encouraged to examine these prospective associations over a longer time period, as it is possible that the indirect effect accumulates over time. Findings highlight the need to reduce discrimination following sexual identity disclosure through the implementation of equitable and affirmative practices in school, healthcare, and other settings in order to improve the well-being of sexual minoritized young adults.