SUICIDAL-BEHAVIOR AND GAY-RELATED STRESS AMONG GAY AND BISEXUAL MALE-ADOLESCENTS

Adolescents are increasingly at risk for attempting suicide, particularly among those subgroups experiencing high stress. Typically, adolescent females are at far greater risk (10.3% attempt suicide) as compared to males (6.2% attempt suicide). In contrast to rates among adolescents in community-based studies, attempted suicide was reported by 39% of a consecutive series of 138 self-identified gay and bisexual males, ages 14 through 19 years, presenting at a social service agency for lesbian and gay adolescents in New York City. More than one-half of attempters had tried to kill themselves more than once, and suicide attempters were more likely to have dropped out of school, to be ejected from their homes, and to have friends or relatives who attempted suicide. Gay-related stressors were significantly more common among suicide attempters as compared to nonattempters, but general life stress was not higher: These findings imply that gay youths are at increased risk for attempting suicide. Clinicians and staff in community-based agencies need to enhance their awareness of the possibilities of suicide attempts among gay and bisexual male youths, increasing screening for risk and actively seeking to reduce gay-related stress.