(PS8-68) Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among Minoritized People with Disabilities

Approximately 1 in 4 American adults have a disability, and disabled American adults are significantly more likely to experience mental distress and suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared to their abled counterparts. However, insufficient research has been conducted on the underlying factors contributing to this disparity in mental health.

The minority stress theory posits that stressors related to a person’s minority status, such as experienced stigma and discrimination, internalized stigma, and self-concealment, contribute to adverse mental health outcomes – all of which people with disabilities experience. While minority stress has been linked to suicidal thoughts and behaviors in research on sexual and racial minorities, its relationship with suicidal thoughts and behaviors in disabled populations has not been studied yet. Therefore, the research question that my study will address is: “Is there a relationship between minority stress and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in people with disabilities?”

Existing research has found that thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness are associated with minority stress and predictive of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, suggesting that these factors may mediate the relationship between the two. Additionally, studies have shown that people with disabilities who identify as disabled and have friends with disabilities are more likely to experience heightened self-esteem and life satisfaction, so these factors may buffer the relationship between minority stress and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

My study will consist of an hour-long Qualtrics survey, and I aim to recruit around 500 adults with disabilities living in the United States who are able and willing to speak about their experiences living with a disability and their mental health. Data collection will start in March and last for approximately six months. Each participant who completes the survey will be paid a rate of $15/hour. My recruitment plan includes reaching out to disability organizations, rehabilitation programs, and university offices for students with disabilities to ask that they share the link to my survey to their listservs and newsletters. The survey itself will include scales that measure 1) suicidal thoughts and behaviors, 2) experienced stigma and discrimination, 3) internalized disability stigma, 4) disability concealment, 5) depression and anxiety, 6) thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, and 7) disability identity and community engagement.

If experienced and internalized stigma do contribute to the high rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among people with disabilities, then more psychology training programs need to discuss the experiences of people with disabilities and how to best support them. Additionally, efforts must be made to make society more accepting of people with disabilities, including establishing policies to streamline access to housing and employment, integrating disability into diversity training programs, and implementing school initiatives to promote respectful and inclusive treatment of peers with disabilities.