Sexual Orientation and the Integrated Motivational–Volitional Model of Suicidal Behavior: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study of Young Adults in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Sexual orientation minority (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and other; LGBQ+) persons represent a vulnerable population with respect to suicide-related behavior. An emerging theory of suicide, the Integrated Motivational–Volitional Model of Suicide (IMV), is utilized in the present study to examine sexual orientation, as well as a number of other IMV-defined pre-motivational factors (i.e., demographics, psychological distress and personality), as they impact the IMV motivational factors of defeat, entrapment, and suicidal ideation/intent. The present investigation featured a cross-sectional online survey of young adults (ages 18–34 years; n = 418; 27% identified as LGBTQ+) across the United Kingdom. The key findings included: (1) high rates of 12-month suicidal ideation prevalence (54.5%) and willingness to enact a future suicide attempt (60.8%); (2) bisexual and other (e.g., pansexual)-identifying sexual minority persons reported higher levels of IMV-related outcomes (e.g., internal entrapment, defeat); (3) sexual orientation accounted for significant variance in predicting motivational constructs controlling for a number of other pre-motivational factors; (4) other sexual minority status, compared to heterosexual identity, predic all motivational outcomes, and; (5) extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability emerged as pre-motivational protective factors for varying motivational outcomes. Findings are discussed with respect to the suicide and sexual minority theories, as well as tailored suicide prevention efforts and future research.