Bisexual and transgender identities in a nonclinical sample of north americans : suicidal intent, behavioral diffulties, and mental health treatment

R. Mathy, B. Lehmann, D. Kerr

We hypothesized that a higher proportion of bisexual females (n = 792) and transgender individuals (n = 73) than bisexual males (n = 1,457) would self-report suicidal intent, behavioral difficulties, and mental health treatment. Relative to bisexual males, bisexual females and transgender individuals had significantly higher prevalence rates of suicidal intent, mental health difficulties, and mental health services. Prevalence rates among transgender participants did not vary by sexual orientation. The findings suggest that sexism and heterosexism have an interactive effect that compounds the social weight of oppression and increases risks for overwhelming sexual minorities' adaptive functioning.[Copies are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Center. The Haworth Press, Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580, USA]