Moderated Mediation Analysis of Structural Stigma and Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adults

Purpose: This study aimed to conduct a moderated mediation analysis to understand further the complex pathways through which structural stigma in the form of transgender sports bans was associated with suicidal ideation and behaviors among sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults.Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1033 adults who identified as SGM from across the 50 U.S. states and Washington, DC was conducted between January 28 and February 7, 2022. Distal discrimination distress was the mediation variable; individual resilience and social resources were the moderation variables. Familiarity with transgender sports bans represented structural stigma. The conditional process analysis was applied to build a moderated mediation model. Both conditional direct and indirect effects were computed by estimated coefficients. All models were based on linear regression.Results: Our final model explained nearly half (46%) of the variation in suicidal ideation and behaviors between those SGM adults familiar and those not familiar with transgender sports bans. Social resources significantly moderated the conditional indirect effect of distal discrimination distress (adjusted estimate = -0.23; 95% confidence interval = -0.37 to -0.08).Conclusion: Both discrimination distress and social resources influenced the association between structural stigma as measured by familiarity with transgender sports bans and suicidal ideation and behaviors among SGM adults. Findings support the need for future research examining the pathway between structural stigma and suicidal ideation and behaviors among SGM adults and how minority stress, social safety, and other constructs shape this pathway.