(PS1-B45) Minority Stress, Thwarted Belongingness, and Suicidal Ideation Among Individuals with Intersecting Gender and Sexual Minority Identities

 Introduction. Rates of suicidal ideation (SI) are consistently elevated among persons from sexual and gender minority groups, relative to the general population. Both minority stress theory and the interpersonal theory of suicide (IPTS) provide frameworks for understanding why LGBTQ+ persons are at heightened risk of suicidality. Prior research demonstrates that minority stress experiences—both external (e.g., discrimination, prejudice) and internal (e.g., shame, internalized homophobia)—are associated with more frequent and severe SI among LGBTQ+ individuals. Within IPTS, thwarted belongingness (TB) is an established proximal risk factor for a desire to die by suicide, and has clear theoretical links with minority stress. Although these risk processes have been previously studied in general LGBTQ+ samples, extant research cannot speak to associations between minority stress, TB, and SI among persons with intersecting gender and sexual minority identities. Using an entirely LGBTQ+ sample, the current study sought to examine whether the relation between trans and nonbinary (TNB) identity status (above and beyond sexual minority status) and SI is explained by experiences of minority stress and strengthened by TB. Method. Participants (N= 807, M age = 27.70) completed an online survey consisting of questionnaires assessing LGB-related minority stress (Outland et al., 2016), SI frequency (Osman et al., 1998), TB (Van Orden et al., 2012), and demographic information. The entire sample identified as a sexual minority (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, queer, or questioning), and 32% identified as TNB (i.e., transgender, gender-fluid, or genderqueer). The majority of the sample was White (88%) and non-Hispanic (87%). Results. TNB identity was significantly indirectly associated with SI through minority stress (β = 2.43, SE = 0.56, Bootstrap 95% CI = [1.10, 2.19]). We found a significant two-way interaction between minority stress and TB on SI (β = 0.01, SE = 0.00, p < .001). The conditional indirect effect of TNB identity on SI through minority stress was higher for individuals with higher levels of thwarted belongingness (β = 0.06, SE = 0.02, Bootstrap 95% CI = [0.03, 0.09]).  Thwarted belongingness moderated the effect of minority stress on SI at mean (β = 0.61, SE = 0.20, Bootstrap 95% CI = 0.22, 1.01]) and 1 SD above-the-mean values of thwarted belongingness (β = 1.33, SE = 0.61 Bootstrap 95% CI = [0.69, 1.98]), with stronger effects observed at higher levels. Discussion. TNB identity was indirectly associated with SI through minority stress, such that elevated minority stress was associated with more frequent SI. The link between minority stress and SI was strongest for participants reporting higher levels of TB. Thus, persons with sexual and gender minority identities may have more difficulty managing minority stress and be especially vulnerable to experiencing suicidality when feeling socially disconnected. Maintaining strong social support networks may be especially important for those with intersecting identities who face minority stress. Findings from this study contribute to the growing body of literature and may inform prevention efforts to interrupt pathways to suicide for groups that are most vulnerable.