Discriminatory Experiences, Self-Medication, and Attempted Suicide Among Transgender Adults

Abstract

To account for the high rate of suicidality and other negative health outcomes among gender diverse individuals, minority stress research underscores the role of stressors associated with stigma and prejudice. A remaining challenge is to identify the mediating mechanisms through which minority stress affects health outcomes, including suicidality. Existing research points to self-medication (i.e., coping with minority stress via substance use) as one potential mediator, at least in response to certain types of minority stress. Specific tests of the self-medication mediation hypothesis are rare, however, and questions remain. Drawing on data from a large national survey of transgender adults, we examine minority stress in the form of major and “everyday” experiences of discrimination, and determine whether self-medication mediates the impact of such stress on attempted suicide. The results lend modest empirical support to the self-medication mediation hypothesis and further suggest that major and everyday discrimination are equally consequential.