Brief report: Differences in self-injurious thoughts and behaviors between sexual minority and heterosexual adolescent girls

Abstract

Purpose: Adolescent suicidal ideation (SI) and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) are associated with depression, but few studies adequately represent sexual minorities. This study investigated whether the association between SI/NSSI and depression varies by sexual orientation. Method: SI, NSSI, sexual orientation, and depressive symptoms were measured in a community sample of adolescent girls (n = 1,803). Results: Sexual orientation and depression accounted for unique risk for SI and NSSI in logistic regressions. Sexual orientation moderated the association between depression and NSSI. Conclusions: Results indicate that depression is a less specific predictor of NSSI among sexual minority adolescents compared to their heterosexual peers and indicate a need for future research to delineate which psychosocial factors better account for NSSI risk.