(PS13-15) Perceived Stigma's Influence on the Association Between Suicide Risk Severity and Help-seeking for Suicidal Crises

Introduction: With appropriate access to care, suicide can be prevented; however, fewer than 50% of people with suicidal ideation seek help. Many barriers can deter individuals from seeking mental health care, including stigma. Unfortunately, research examining actual help-seeking behaviors people engage in during suicidal crises is limited. The present study aims to explore the impact perceived stigma has on the relationship between suicide risk severity and actual help-seeking behaviors individuals engage in during a suicidal crisis.

Method: Data are taken from an ongoing study examining help-seeking for suicidal crises. During the study, the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) is used to assess lifetime history of suicidality and identify each participant’s most severe suicidal crisis. Suicide risk severity is coded as an ordinal variable determined by the participant’s highest endorsed item on the C-SSRS. Participants are then asked who they went to for help during their most severe suicidal crisis. Sources of help are grouped into two categories: formal sources (i.e., general practitioner, mental health professional, hospital) and informal sources (i.e., parent, friend, significant other, teacher, other family member, religious leader). For the present analyses, two sum scores representing the total number of informal sources and formal sources of help sought are calculated. Finally, participants complete the “Indifference to Stigma” subscale of the Inventory of Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services Scale (IASMHS), which is reverse coded to assess perceived stigma of help-seeking for mental health concerns. Two moderation analyses will be conducted to examine the main effects of suicide risk severity and perceived stigma on help-seeking from formal and informal sources, as well as the moderating role of stigma on these relationships.

Results: To date, 40 participants have completed the study (M_age = 20.6, 70% female, 85% White, 52.5% LGBTQ+). A majority (75%) have experienced active ideation with plan and intent, and 35% have attempted suicide. The first moderation analysis shows a significant main effect of suicide risk severity on informal help-seeking (b = 0.22, SE = 0.10, p = 0.03), such that higher levels of suicide risk are associated with greater help-seeking from informal sources. A significant main effect of perceived stigma on informal help-seeking is not observed, and perceived stigma does not moderate the relationship between suicide risk severity and informal help-seeking. The second moderation analysis shows a significant main effect of suicide risk severity on formal help-seeking (b = 0.17, SE = 0.77, p = 0.03), such that higher levels of suicide risk are associated with greater help-seeking from formal sources. Additionally, a significant main effect of perceived stigma on formal help-seeking is observed (b = -0.06, SE = 0.2, p = 0.01), such that greater perceived stigma is associated with decreased help-seeking from formal sources. However, the moderating effect of perceived stigma on the relationship between suicide risk severity and formal help-seeking is not significant. As data collection is still ongoing, final results will be reported and discussed at the time of presentation.