Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention and Intervention in LGBTQIA+ Youth: Current Research and Future Directions

Abstract Youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning (LGBQ PLUS_SPI ) youth a gender distinct from their birth-assigned sex (i.e., transgender diverse), collectively LGBTQIA , show nearly triple the risk for self-injurious thoughts behaviors (SITBs). Research to date highlights that minority stressors across structural, interpersonal, intrapersonal levels may help explain this heightened risk. This chapter reviews research linking stress each of these on SITBs. Moreover, evidence-based treatments reduce SITBs in youth, highlighting interventions increase coping skills context appear most effective. In addition inter- intrapersonal-level interventions, we argue major structural changes needed meaningfully elevated youth.