Objective. The present study was conducted to (1) investigate the role of emotion regulation difficulties among self-harming Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals and (2) to test for a mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties in self-harm among LGBTQ+ individuals.Method. This study investigated the relationship between LGBTQ+ status, selfreported levels of emotion regulation difficulties and self-harm in a community sample (N=484, aged 16-63), using an online cross-sectional survey. Results.LGBTQ+ individuals reported more emotion regulation difficulties and were almost 7 times more likely to self-harm than non-LGBTQ+ participants. Being anLGBTQ+ participant was associated with greater self-harm frequency, when controlling for age, income and difficulties in emotion regulation. Emotion regulation difficulties mediated the association between LGBTQ+ status and both self-harm status and frequency.Conclusions. The present findings suggest that treating emotion regulation difficulties might reduce both the prevalence and lifetime frequency of self-harm episodes among gender identity and sexual orientation minority individuals. Targeting emotion regulation might be used as an early prevention strategy among LGBTQ+ individuals who are at risk for self-harm. Further, enhancing emotion regulation skills among selfharming LGBTQ+ individuals might replace maladaptive emotion regulation strategies with healthy alternatives, and can, therefore, foster resilience.

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