Research Snapshot: Suicidality and non-suicidal self-injury among transgender populations
Check out this new Research Snapshot!
Suicidality and non-suicidal self-injury among transgender populations
Here is a sneak peek:
What you need to know?
In North America, research has consistently shown that transgender (trans) individuals experience higher rates of physical and mental health burden compared to the general population. Furthermore, trans youth experience even higher rates of suicidality and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) compared to trans adults. Researchers conducted a systematic review to identify risk and protective factors (e.g., transition status, comorbidities, discrimination, social support, community-related factors and social policy) for suicidality and NSSI.
What is this research about?
In North America, trans youth experience higher rates of suicidality and NSSI compared to trans adults. Researchers conducted a systematic review to synthesize research on risk and protective factors for suicidality and NSSI among trans populations, and to determine the differences between trans youth and trans adults.
The researchers defined several terms:
- Transgender (trans) refers to “individuals who do not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth (e.g., a person who was assigned male at birth but identifies as a woman is a transgender woman).”
- Gender expansive refers to “a wide range of gender identities that broaden gender-normative definitions and are neither male nor female (e.g., non-binary, gender-fluid, genderqueer).”
- Cisgender refers to “individuals who identify with the sex they were assigned at birth (e.g., a person who was assigned female at birth and identifies as a woman is a cisgender woman).”
- Suicidal ideation encompasses “all instances where an individual had thoughts of ending their life, whether this included having an active plan or not.”
- Suicide attempt encompasses “all instances where an individual attempted to put an end to their life, irrespective of the lethality of the attempt or of hospitalization as a consequence of the attempt.”
- Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) encompasses “all instances where an individual intentionally hurts themselves (e.g., cutting, burning, bruising) without intent to end their life.”
The research snapshot can be found in English here and French here