Acute, person-specific suicide risk processes in rural sexual minority adults

This project asks how we can better predict suicidal thoughts and behaviors, particularly in groups who (1) are at elevated risk for suicide but (2) have been excluded from the vast majority of suicide research.

This project uses ecological momentary assessment to estimate personalized networks of short-term risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors among sexual minority adults living in rural areas. The project then evaluates whether person-specific paths among risk factors can more accurately predict suicidal thoughts and behaviors at follow-up as compared to risk factor means.

This study is grounded in the concept of “equifinality,” which means that there may be multiple, unique paths that lead to the same outcome. In other words, I believe that that there may be multiple, unique paths that lead people to think about suicide or attempt suicide.

The studies falling under this overarching project are/were funded through the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Grant KL2 TR002015 and Grant UL1 TR002014 (first study; study completed) and the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities (K08MD019314; second study, ongoing).

Note. Although this study focuses on suicide, eating disorder data are being collected as well.