The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation on Self-harm among Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Minority (LGBTQ+) Individuals

The present study was conducted to (1) investigate the role of emotion regulation difficulties among self-harming Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, or Questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals and (2) to test for a mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties in self-harm among LGBTQ + individ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of suicide research 2023-04, Vol.27 (2), p.165-178
Main Authors: Kapatais, Alexandros, Williams, A. Jess, Townsend, Ellen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bisexuality
Cross-Sectional Studies
Emotion regulation
Emotional Regulation
Female
gender
Gender Identity
High risk
Humans
Lesbianism
LGBTQ
LGBTQ people
Male
NSSI
Prevention
Resilience
Self destructive behavior
Self injury
self-harm
Self-Injurious Behavior - psychology
Sexual and Gender Minorities
Sexual Behavior
Sexual orientation
sexuality
Transgender persons
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Summary:The present study was conducted to (1) investigate the role of emotion regulation difficulties among self-harming Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, or Questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals and (2) to test for a mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties in self-harm among LGBTQ + individuals. This study investigated the relationship between LGBTQ + status, self-reported levels of emotion regulation difficulties, and self-harm in a community sample (N = 484, aged 16-63), using an online cross-sectional survey. LGBTQ + individuals reported more emotion regulation difficulties and were almost seven times more likely to self-harm than non-LGBTQ + participants. Being an LGBTQ + participant was associated with greater self-harm frequency when controlling for age, income, and difficulties in emotion regulation. Emotion regulation difficulties mediated the association between LGBTQ + status and both self-harm status and frequency. The present findings suggest that treating emotion regulation difficulties might reduce both the prevalence and lifetime frequency of self-harm episodes among gender identity and sexual orientation minority individuals. Targeting emotion regulation might be used as an early prevention strategy among LGBTQ + individuals who are at risk for self-harm. Further, enhancing emotion regulation skills among self-harming LGBTQ + individuals might replace maladaptive emotion regulation strategies with healthy alternatives, and can, therefore, foster resilience. HIGHLIGHTS LGBTQ + individuals are at high risk for self-harm. ER-mediated the association between LGBTQ + status and self-harm. Targeting emotion regulation in LGBTQ + people may help reduce self-harm.
ISSN:1381-1118
1543-6136
DOI:10.1080/13811118.2022.2064254