Making sense of the LGBTQA+ youth mental health crisis: the role of CBT
2 - (Sym 103) Differences in Suicidality and Psychological Symptoms Between Sexual and Gender Minority Patients Compared to Heterosexual and Cisgender Patients in a Psychiatric Hospital
Sunday, November 20, 2022
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM EST
Location: Edison/Booth, 5th Floor
Keywords: LGBTQ+, CBT Recommended Readings: Craig, S. L., McInroy, L. B., Eaton, A. D., Iacono, G., Leung, V. W., Austin, A., & Dobinson, C. (2019). An Affirmative Coping Skills Intervention to Improve the Mental and Sexual Health of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth (Project Youth AFFIRM): Protocol for an Implementation Study. JMIR Research Protocols, 8(6), e13462. https://doi.org/10.2196/13462 Fish, J. N. (2020). Future Directions in Understanding and Addressing Mental Health among LGBTQ Youth. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 49(6), 943–956. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2020.1815207
Senior Lecturer The Open University Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom
Sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) are at increased risk for developing numerous psychological problems. Little is known about the clinical presentation of SGMY treated in inpatient psychiatric settings, especially when compared to heterosexual, cisgender youth (HCY). We aimed to examine differences in depression, hopelessness, anxiety, traumatic stress, emotion regulation, suicidality, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), and drug use between SGMY and HCY admitted to an acute, psychiatric inpatient unit. We also sought to predict participants’ suicide risk level at hospitalization using psychological and demographic variables. Adolescent inpatients completed: a demographic questionnaire; the Center for Epidemiological Studies Scale for Children; the Hopelessness Scale for Children; the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders; the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale–16; the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory; and the Child Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale–5. The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale–Screener Version, and history of suicide attempts and drug use were extracted from medical records. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests and chi-square tests to determine differences in symptoms between SGMY and HCY. A logistic regression was utilized to predict the likelihood of ‘high’ versus ‘low’ suicide risk. This cross-sectional study included 348 adolescents, mean age of 15.31, who identified as primarily female (63.22%) and heterosexual, cisgender (61.30%), with many being Hispanic/Latino (40.23%). Nearly 38% of patients identified as SGMY including 3% identifying as transgender. SGMY reported significantly more symptoms of depression, hopelessness, anxiety, and emotion dysregulation than HCY. Additionally, SGMY reported significantly more suicide attempts and were more likely to engage in NSSI. No differences were found for traumatic stress or drug use. Lastly, SGMY had double the odds of high suicide risk (OR=2.08, 95%CI,1.14–3.71), even after controlling for depression and previous suicide attempts. SGMY, compared to HCY inpatients, were particularly vulnerable to developing psychological symptoms, engaging in self-harm, and attempting suicide. Mental health providers should be aware of the sexuality and gender identity of their patients, monitor their mental health, and refer for specialized services when needed.