Bullying May Be a Cause of Suicidal Behavior in Gay and Lesbian Black Youth

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Bullying May Be a Cause of Suicidal Behavior in Gay and Lesbian Black Youth

 

Jim Windell

           Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 14, and the third leading cause of death among 15 to 24-year-olds. However, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) young people are at significantly increased risk.

           In fact, research has found that LGBTQ+ young people are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers. And The Trevor Project’s 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People found that 41% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including roughly half of transgender and nonbinary youth. 

           With higher suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts among lesbian and gay adolescents in general, what is the rate of suicidal thoughts and attempts among lesbian and gay (LGB) Black youth?

           Researchers reporting in the Journal of Urban Health recently found that LGB adolescents are significantly more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and attempts as well as face double the incidence of school bullying and cyberbullying. And Black LGB adolescents were the only group within the LGB community to experience a rise in suicidal thoughts and attempts from 2009 to 2019.

          In contrast, white LGB teens experienced a decline in rates of suicidal ideation and attempts over this period. These trends were accompanied by rising bullying rates for Black and Latinx LGB adolescents but declining rates among white LGB adolescents.

           Devin English, an assistant professor in the Department of Urban-Global Public Health at the Rutgers School of Public Health and author of the study along with a multidisciplinary group of academic and New York City Department of Health researchers, examined trends in suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and bullying among students across different racial and sexual identities by analyzing 2009-2019 NYC Youth Risk Behavior Survey data. The NYC Youth Risk Behavior Survey collects a representative sample of adolescents attending public and charter schools throughout the city.

           According to English, “The Congressional Black Caucus recently rang the alarm on the fast-rising rates of suicide in Black youth communities through an emergency task force report. Our findings suggest that our response to this call should prioritize Black lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth.”

           English went on to say that future research is needed on intervention strategies that can prevent bullying affecting Black LGB adolescents and provide psychological support and empowerment for these youth.

           “Our findings ring the alarm on the emergency of increasing suicidality among Black LGB adolescents,” said English. “Critically, we found evidence that to reduce suicidality, we should address rising rates of bullying targeting these young people.”  

           English said future research is needed on intervention strategies that can prevent bullying affecting Black LGB adolescents and provide psychological support and empowerment for these youth.

           To read the study, find it with this reference:

English, D., Kelman, E., Lundy De La Cruz, N. et al. (2024).  Trends in Suicidality and Bullying among New York City Adolescents across Race and Sexual Identity: 2009–2019Journal of  Urban Health 101, 451–463. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-024-00860-0

 

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