@article{ref1,
title="The mediating role of emotion regulation on self-harm among gender identity and sexual orientation minority (LGBTQ+) individuals",
journal="Archives of suicide research",
year="2022",
author="Kapatais, Alexandros and Williams, A. Jess and Townsend, Ellen",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: 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. <br><br>METHOD: 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. <br><br>RESULTS: 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. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: 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. HIGHLIGHTSLGBTQ + 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.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1381-1118",
doi="10.1080/13811118.2022.2064254",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2022.2064254"
}