Discrimination and self-harm outcomes among college students: The paradoxical moderating effect of belongingness
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective This study examines the associations between discrimination and suicidality, and the moderating role of sense of belonging.Participants Data came from a sample of 66,497 college students (Mage = 23.4; SDage = 7.3) in a nationally representative study.Methods Multilevel logistic regressions examined associations between discrimination and suicidality—including suicidal ideation (SI), suicide attempts (SA), and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)—and moderating effects of belonging.Results Discrimination was associated with greater odds of NSSI (OR = 1.21, p < 0.001), SI (OR = 1.29, p < 0.001), and SA (OR = 1.46, p < 0.001). Belonging moderated these associations: NSSI (OR = 1.02, p < 0.001), SI (OR = 1.04, p < 0.001), and SA (OR = 1.05, p = 0.010).Conclusion Findings revealed a paradoxical pattern: although belonging was associated with reduced odds of suicidality, discrimination was more strongly associated with suicidality among students with higher belonging.
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7162132967