Racial microaggressions, a contemporary form of subtle discrimination that occurs in everyday interactions, are associated with a variety of negative mental health outcomes. Research has not extended the connection between racial microaggressions and negative mental health to include suicide risk. Given the well-known association between negative mental health outcomes and suicide risk, the current study examined whether racial microaggressions predicted suicidal ideation through depression symptoms among 405 young adults of color. Depression symptoms mediated the relationship between racial microaggressions and suicidal ideation. This is the first study to associate racial microaggressions to suicide risk. Societal and clinical implications are discussed.

Racial microaggressions are a contemporary form of subtle discrimination that occur in everyday exchanges, and are associated with a variety of negative mental health outcomes, including suicide ideation. Previous work (e.g., Torres-Harding, Andrade, & Romero Diaz, 2012) has identified 6 dimensions of racial microaggressions: invisibility, criminality, low-achieving/undesirable culture, sexualization, foreigner/not belonging, and environmental invalidations. The current study examined whether the 6 dimensions of racial microaggressions were associated with increased suicide ideation through perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness among 135 African American young adults. Results indicated that perceived burdensomeness, but not thwarted belongingness, mediated the relationship between 3 racial microaggression dimensions (i.e., invisibility, low-achievement/undesirable culture, and environmental invalidations) and suicide ideation. These results imply that for African American college students, experiencing certain dimensions of racial microaggressions was associated with higher levels of perceived burdensomeness, which in turn was related to increased levels of suicide ideation. Clinical and societal implications are discussed. This study found that specific types of racial microaggressions were associated with higher levels of perceptions of being a burden on others, which in turn was associated with higher levels of suicide ideation in a sample of African Americans. These findings are important as they demonstrate 1 possible avenue through which racial microaggressions can negatively impact mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record

Suicide is currently the third leading cause of death of African Americans between the ages of 15 and 24 years. Possible risk factors of suicidal ideation for this population include the two interpersonal constructs of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Past research has demonstrated that hope is negatively associated with each of these two constructs of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide and suicidal ideation. The aim of the current study was to investigate hope as a moderator between both thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness and suicidal ideation in a sample of 107 African American college students. Results supported the hypotheses, as hope moderated the relationship between thwarted belongingness and suicidal ideation and perceived burdensomeness and suicidal ideation. This study suggests that African Americans who endorse high levels of hope are at a lower risk for suicidal thoughts when having perceptions of being a burden and not belonging. Clinical implications are discussed.

Purpose -The interpersonal theory of suicide (ITS;Joiner, 2005) has gained empirical support as a framework for understanding why people die by suicide in the general population, and more recently, among American Indians (AIs). The purpose of this paper is to examine two key constructs of the theory, perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness as mediators of depression and suicidal ideation within an AI sample. Design/methodology/approach -In all, 156 self-identified AI students completed measures of depression symptoms, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and suicidal ideation online. Non-parametric bootstrapping procedures were conducted. Findings -Results of bootstrapping analyses indicated that perceived burdensomeness had an indirect effect on the relationship between symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation; however, thwarted belongingness did not demonstrate an indirect effect between symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. Findings suggest that the ITS construct of perceived burdensomeness may be relevant for the study of AI suicide. Implications for targeting perceptions of burdensomeness in preventative efforts against suicide among AIs are discussed. Originality/value -This is the first study to examine perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness as mediators of symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation in a sample of AI participants.

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No research has empirically investigated whether frequency of historical loss thinking is a potential risk factor for suicide ideation in American Indians. Results of this study demonstrated that the frequency of historical loss thinking was positively associated with brooding and reflection at a small magnitude, but was not directly related to suicide ideation. Bootstrapping analyses indicated small indirect effects of historical loss thinking frequency on suicide ideation through brooding and reflection individually, but only through brooding when analyzed in a parallel mediation model. These findings suggest that American Indians who more frequently engage in historical loss thinking may be susceptible to suicide ideation via an increase in ruminative tendencies, specifically brooding.

Objective This cross-sectional study quantified differences in (a) social determinants of health (SDOH) and perceived changes in SDOH during the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and (b) COVID-19 psychosocial impacts across four groups: (a) non-Hispanic White (NHW) parents of children with asthma, (b) Black, Indigenous, or other People of Color (BIPOC) parents of healthy children, (c) BIPOC parents of children with asthma, and (d) NHW parents of healthy children (referent). The NIMHD Framework was used to identify SDOHs that may change for families during COVID-19. Methods Parents were recruited via Prolific (N = 321) and completed questions about COVID-19 family impacts on employment, income, access to food and healthcare, and psychosocial functioning, including discrimination. It was hypothesized that NHW families of children with asthma and BIPOC families would endorse greater negative outcomes relative to NHW parents of healthy children. Results BIPOC families experienced greater food insecurity and discrimination relative to NHW parents of healthy children. When compared with the NHW healthy group, COVID-19 resulted in greater parent-reported resource losses for both BIPOC groups and greater reductions in healthcare access for both asthma groups. Children with asthma and BIPOC children had greater distress surrounding COVID-19. BIPOC and NHW parents of children with asthma reported greater worries about resource losses due to COVID-19. Conclusions The pandemic is widening inequities for BIPOC families, especially for families of children with asthma. These results highlight the need for interventions that address the needs of underserved communities, providing the infrastructure, policies, and supports needed to reduce health inequities during and after COVID-19.

Many American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities throughout North America continue to experience the devastating impact of suicide. Theoretical explanations of suicide from a psychological, sociological, cultural, and Indigenous perspective all differ in focus and applicability to AI/AN communities. These diverse theoretical frameworks and models are presented herein to examine the potential applicability, strengths, and limitations in understanding AI/AN suicide. In providing these perspectives, continued discussions and empirical examinations of AI/AN suicide can guide informative, culturally-informed suicide prevention and intervention efforts.