5 - (SYM 129) Changes in Proximal Minority Stressors and Resilience Among Sexual and Gender Minority Youth and Young Adults at Risk for Repeat Suicide Attempts Enrolled in a Patient Navigation Intervention

Background: Young sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals are at elevated risk for suicide compared to their non-SGM peers, but no tailored prevention program exists for this population. Based on the interpersonal theory of suicide and the minority stress model, a novel patient navigation and safety planning intervention (QueerCare) helps participants overcome barriers to mental health care and peer support with the primary aim to allay suicide attempts (SAs). This presentation will explore secondary changes in proximal minority stressors and resiliency among participants over time.

Methods: 31 SGM individuals, aged 16-29 years, with current suicidal ideation and a history of SA(s) were recruited from the San Diego, CA community. Participants were enrolled in a 6-month mixed-methods open-phase feasibility trial. Participants completed self-report surveys assessing minority stressors and resiliency at baseline and 3- and 6-month follow-ups. While the trial was not primarily powered to detect statistically significant changes in these variables, Cohen’s d was calculated to explore effect sizes in minority stressors and resiliency.

Results: Effect sizes of 0.05 and -0.18 for sexual orientation concealment and 0.04 and -0.16 for internalized homophobia were observed at the 3- and 6-month follow-ups, respectively, compared with baseline. Among gender minority participants (n=15), effect sizes of -0.05 and -0.20 for gender identity nondisclosure, 0.4 and 0.18 for internalized transphobia, -0.11 and 0.07 for pride, and -0.02 and 0.06 for community connectedness were observed at the 3- and 6-month follow-ups compared with baseline.

Conclusion: Although not tested for statistical significance, a general pattern emerged in which proximal minority stressors stabilized or increased from baseline to the 3-month time point and then decreased relative to baseline by 6 months. In the final presentation, these effect size data will be married with qualitative themes derived from supervision notes. Although proximal minority stress may be difficult to alter in the short term, clinically meaningful alleviations in minority stress seem promising after 6 months of intervention.