Are Developmental Assets Protective Against Suicidal Behavior? Differential Associations by Sexual Orientation

Abstract

Sexual orientation disparities in suicide behavior are well-documented. Yet, few studies have examined how developmental assets – key values, self-perceptions, skills, relationships, and opportunities that have been identified as the building blocks of positive youth development – are associated with suicide behaviors, particularly among sexual minority youth. This study examined concurrent associations between young people’s developmental assets and suicidal behavior by sexual orientation using a large sample of 116,925 in-school U.S. adolescents (ages 11 to 19, M = 14.74, SD = 1.78). Most of the sample identified as only heterosexual (90.2%); 5% identified as mostly heterosexual, 3.5% as bisexual, 0.6% as mostly lesbian/gay, and 0.7% as only lesbian/gay. Most participants identified as White, non-Latina/o (62.6%) and as cisgender female (50.3%) or cisgender male (47.8%). Compared to only heterosexual adolescents, youth with all other sexual orientations reported lower levels of internal and external developmental assets except for non-sports extracurricular activity participation and social justice values. Identifying as a racial/ethnic minority, particularly for only heterosexual adolescents, and specifically as Latina/o for sexual minority adolescents was associated with greater risk for suicidal behavior. Further, identifying as a gender minority exacerbated risk for suicidal behavior. Relatedly, when youth reported feeling unsafe with their family, or in their school or neighborhood, they were at greater risk for suicidal behavior, regardless of sexual orientation. Feeling hopeful was associated with lower risk for suicidal behavior for all youth. Regardless of sexual orientation, planning and decision-making skills were associated with lower risk and social-emotional skills were associated with heightened risk for suicidal behavior. School boundaries and social justice values were associated with lower risk for suicidal behavior among bisexual adolescents; there were no additional protective assets for mostly/only lesbian/gay adolescents. In conclusion, sexual orientation disparities exist in the lives of adolescents for several internal and external developmental assets. Disparities in suicidal behavior by sexual orientation, however, were largely unexplained by differential associations between developmental assets and suicidal behavior.