Suicidal as normal: A script among lesbian, gay and bisexual youth?

Background : According to mostly-U.S. meta-analyses, the elevated suicidality of sexual-minority youth is not well-accounted by minority stress. Building on suicidescript and suicide-diffusion theories, and on evidence that suicidal behavior is most likely when it is relatively culturally-acceptable, two studies were designed, one of attitudes about suicidal behavior, and the other of attitudes about suicidal individuals. Method : Suicide attitudes were explored via surveys of lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB), and heterosexual youth (total N = 300; M age = 20; 51% female). Results : LGB youth were more accepting and empathic towards suicidal behavior than heterosexual youth. They also viewed suicidal individuals as more positive in character and as more emotionally-adjusted. Limitations : We did not examine attitudes by sexual-minorities sub-groups. Conclusions : LGB-youth's understanding attitudes may translate into less-judgmental behavior towards suicidal peers, but also, possibly, into normalizing suicidality as a way to cope with life problems. There may be utility in evaluating LGByouth suicide-attitudes in suicide-prevention initiatives.