Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: We found that any exposure to conversion therapy, regardless of who conducted it, whether it was through therapy, counseling, or a program, religiously affiliated or not, whether it was related to gender identity or sexual orientation, resulted in a significantly higher prevalence of past-year suicide thoughts and attempts for those exposed to it.Notably, 85.4% of those aged 16 to 17 who attended a conversion therapy camp reported past-year suicide thoughts, and 36.9% in that age group who were exposed to sexual orientation conversion therapy reported past-year suicide attempts.• We found that those who live in states that have positive public policy environments for transgender people and comprehensive non-discrimination statutes have lower prevalence of suicide thoughts compared to those residing in negative public policy states.For instance, 41.6% of those who lived in states with negative public policy environments for transgender people seriously thought about suicide in the past year, compared to 35.8% of those residing in states with the most positive policy environments.• Those who thought about moving from states because of state laws that negatively target transgender people, but did not move, were more likely than those who never thought about moving to report past-year suicide thoughts (44.0% vs. 31.6%)and attempts (5.1% vs. 3.9%).Findings from this report suggest that strategies to reduce suicidality among transgender people must involve reducing the heightened exposure that transgender people have to common risk factors, such as economic hardship and housing instability, as well as minority stressors and structural stigma, such as discrimination, violence, and hostile policy environments.Future research needs to include further examination of age group differences among transgender people to understand why they exist.Applying a life course perspective to transgender people's identity development and gender affirmation milestones would help elucidate unique risk factors for different age cohorts.We also need research to provide a better understanding of the impacts of specific laws and policies (e.g., restrictive state laws) on transgender people's health and well-being.Current research is needed on how state laws and policies are impacting transgender people's relocation across states and how relocation from or remaining in negative state environments impacts health and well-being over time.Future research is also needed regarding the mental health impacts of remote vs. in-person work for transgender people, among other topics.
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7213474894