Citation

Nauphal M, Cardona ND, Arunagiri V, Ward-Ciesielski EF. J. Am. Coll. Health 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2021.1978458

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Examine the relationship between internalized stigma, experiential avoidance (EA), and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) in a sample of college students, and explore whether EA accounts for part of the relationship between internalized stigma, EA, and STBs.Participants: College students (N=78) completed online questionnaires about demographic information, internalized stigma, EA, and STBs.

RESULTS: A simple mediation model evaluated the indirect effect of internalized stigma on STBs through EA, controlling for the presence of a mental health disorder diagnosis.

RESULTS: Internalized stigma, STBs, and EA were all positively correlated. EA partially mediated the relationship between internalized stigma and STBs.

CONCLUSION: Despite decades of research and prevention efforts, STBs remain a pervasive problem. There is an urgent need to identify modifiable predictors of STBs. Internalized stigma is a risk factor for STBs, and recent research suggests EA might be a mechanism linking internalized stigma and STBs. Our findings suggest EA might represent a modifiable mechanism of change in the context of both anti-stigmatization and suicide prevention programs.

Language: en

Keywords

College students; suicide; experiential avoidance; stigma