Suicidality, Sexual Orientation, and Race/Ethnicity: Results from a U.S. Representative Adolescent Sample

Abstract

Objective: We examined sadness/hopelessness and suicide among racial/ethnic and sexual minority youth (SMY). Methods: 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data on sadness/hopelessness and suicide were analyzed among White, Black, and Hispanic/Latino youth. Results: A main effect of sexual minority (SM) identity emerged for sadness/hopelessness, suicidal ideation, suicide plan, suicide attempts, and injurious attempts; SMY reported increased risk compared to their heterosexual peers. An interaction between Black race and SM identity emerged for sadness/hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and suicide plan; White SMY were at greater risk than Black SMY. A main effect of Black race on suicide attempts was found; Black youth reported increased risk of suicide attempts compared to White youth. Conclusions: Black SMY exhibited lower risk of sadness/hopelessness, suicide ideation, and suicide plans than their White SMY peers, whereas Black youth overall were more likely to report suicide attempts than their White peers. HIGHLIGHTS There was an interaction of sexual minority identity and race (Black or White) for three outcomes. SM and Black identities were associated with higher risk for suicide attempts. Only SM identity was associated with increased risk of injurious suicide attempts.