%0 Journal Article %T Nonsuicidal self-injury, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts among sexual minority children %J Journal of consulting and clinical psychology %D 2021 %A Blashill, Aaron J. %A Fox, Kathryn %A Feinstein, Brian A. %A Albright, Christopher A. %A Calzo, Jerel P. %V 89 %N 2 %P 73-80 %X OBJECTIVES: Sexual minority adolescents have previously been found to experience disparities in self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) compared to heterosexual adolescents. However, there is a paucity of data on SITBs amongst children. Thus, the aim of the current study is to assess the prevalence of SITBs in a large sample of U.S. children and to test whether rates vary by sexual orientation.

METHODS: Data were drawn from the 2.0 baseline release of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The full sample included 11,777(raw) 9-10-year-old children (sexual minority n = 150(raw)). Children completed a computerized version of the youth Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (KSADS-5), including items assessing suicide ideation, suicide attempts, and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Unadjusted and adjusted models compared the prevalence of outcomes by sexual orientation. Models also compared the co-occurrence of NSSI and suicide ideation by sexual orientation.

RESULTS: Across all outcomes, sexual minority children reported elevated prevalence rates compared to heterosexual children, with odds ratios ranging from 4.4 to 6.5. Among children who reported NSSI, a greater proportion of sexual minority versus heterosexual children reported co-occurring suicide ideation (OR = 3.8).

CONCLUSIONS: In a large sample of 9-10-year-old U.S. children, sexual orientation disparities emerged across NSSI, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts.

RESULTS indicate that sexual minority children are a vulnerable population for SITBs. Inclusion of children in prevention programs is encouraged. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Language: en

%G en %I American Psychological Association %@ 0022-006X %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000624