Rights statement: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Archives of Suicide Research on 19/11/2018, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13811118.2018.1515136
Accepted author manuscript, 611 KB, PDF document
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychological correlates of self-harm within gay, lesbian and bisexual UK University students
AU - Taylor, Peter
AU - Dhingra, Katie
AU - Joanne Dickson, Joanne
AU - McDermott, Elizabeth Sarah
N1 - This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Archives of Suicide Research on 19/11/2018, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13811118.2018.1515136
PY - 2020/6/1
Y1 - 2020/6/1
N2 - This study explores the association between lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) status and self-harm in UK higher education students. There is currently limited data on this association, and the role psychological variables have in potentially explaining this link, in UK students. We examine whether LGB status is associated with self-harm (both non-suicidal self-injury [NSSI] and suicide attempts [SA]), and whether 4 psychological variables (depression, anxiety, belongingness, self-esteem) mediate this association. A cross-sectional survey was used. UK university students (n = 707) completed an online survey including measures of self-harm, affective symptoms, belongingness, and self-esteem. Latent Variable Modelling (LVM) was used to test our hypotheses. LGB status remained associated with an elevated risk of NSSI and SA even after accounting for mediating factors. Self-esteem and (in the case of SA but not NSSI) thwarted belongingness, did, however, explain some of this association and were correlated with self-harm risk. The findings suggest that psychological factors may account for the association between LGB status and self-harm and, as such, prevention and intervention efforts directed at these psychological mediators may help to reduce self-harm risk in this population.
AB - This study explores the association between lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) status and self-harm in UK higher education students. There is currently limited data on this association, and the role psychological variables have in potentially explaining this link, in UK students. We examine whether LGB status is associated with self-harm (both non-suicidal self-injury [NSSI] and suicide attempts [SA]), and whether 4 psychological variables (depression, anxiety, belongingness, self-esteem) mediate this association. A cross-sectional survey was used. UK university students (n = 707) completed an online survey including measures of self-harm, affective symptoms, belongingness, and self-esteem. Latent Variable Modelling (LVM) was used to test our hypotheses. LGB status remained associated with an elevated risk of NSSI and SA even after accounting for mediating factors. Self-esteem and (in the case of SA but not NSSI) thwarted belongingness, did, however, explain some of this association and were correlated with self-harm risk. The findings suggest that psychological factors may account for the association between LGB status and self-harm and, as such, prevention and intervention efforts directed at these psychological mediators may help to reduce self-harm risk in this population.
KW - bisexual
KW - gay
KW - lesbian
KW - LGB
KW - self-esteem
KW - self-harm
U2 - 10.1080/13811118.2018.1515136
DO - 10.1080/13811118.2018.1515136
M3 - Journal article
VL - 24
SP - 41
EP - 56
JO - Archives of Suicide Research
JF - Archives of Suicide Research
SN - 1543-6136
IS - sup1
ER -