Understanding Queer Youth Suicidality: A Guide for Practitioners
As a practitioner working with queer youth, understanding the complexities of suicidality within this group is crucial. Recent research, such as the study titled An Integrated Conceptual Model to Understand Suicidality among Queer Youth to Inform Suicide Prevention, offers valuable insights and frameworks that can be applied in practice to improve outcomes for queer youth.
The Queer-PRYSM Model
The Queer Prevention of Youth Suicidality Model (Queer-PRYSM) integrates elements from four theoretical frameworks to explain suicidality among queer youth. These frameworks include:
- Minority Stress Theory (MST): Focuses on the unique stressors faced by sexual and gender minorities.
- Person-in-Environment and Risk and Resilience Framework (PIE-R&R): Emphasizes the importance of environmental contexts in understanding human development and psychosocial outcomes.
- Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS): Explains pathways leading to suicide, focusing on factors like thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness.
- Intersectionality: Examines how overlapping systems of oppression affect individuals with multiple marginalized identities.
Implementing the Model in Practice
Practitioners can use the Queer-PRYSM model to identify risk and protective factors in queer youth, allowing for more targeted interventions. Here are some ways to apply the model:
- Identify Minority Stressors: Recognize and address stressors specific to queer youth, such as discrimination and internalized stigma.
- Enhance Supportive Environments: Work with families, schools, and communities to create affirming and supportive environments for queer youth.
- Address Interpersonal Factors: Focus on reducing feelings of isolation and burdensomeness through community building and support networks.
- Consider Intersectionality: Understand the unique challenges faced by queer youth with intersecting identities, such as race and disability, and tailor interventions accordingly.
Encouraging Further Research
While the Queer-PRYSM model provides a comprehensive framework, ongoing research is essential to continue improving interventions for queer youth. Practitioners are encouraged to stay informed about new findings and contribute to research efforts by sharing their experiences and insights.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: An Integrated Conceptual Model to Understand Suicidality among Queer Youth to Inform Suicide Prevention.
