Objective Developing the capability to die by suicide, and overcoming one's natural instinct of self‐preservation, is thought to occur as a result of habituation to the fear and pain surrounding suicide. However, investigations of suicide capability have yet to examine whether perceived discrimination serves as a painful and provocative event that contributes to capability for suicide. The purpose of the current study was to examine the association of perceived discrimination and suicide capability for Black and White adults. Method The study sample included 173 Black adults (67.6% female; Mage = 23.18, SD = 5.74) and 272 White adults (60.7% female; Mage = 22.80, SD = 5.90). Participants completed a questionnaire battery that included measures of perceived discrimination, depression, and suicide ideation. Results Regression analyses revealed for Black adults (but not White adults), perceived discrimination was associated with an increased capability for suicide after accounting for depressive symptomatology, suicide ideation, non‐discriminatory painful and provocative events experienced, age, and gender (β = .226, t = 3.154, p = .002). Conclusions These findings provide preliminary evidence that perceived discrimination may play a role in suicide capability for Black adults and highlight the importance of considering contextual experiences when examining suicidality in underserved groups.

Racial discrimination is associated with depressive symptoms for young African American adults. Yet few studies have examined the psychological mechanisms for this association. The purpose of this preliminary study was to examine the mediating effect of helplessness on the association between perceived racial discrimination and depressive symptoms in a sample of 172 African American young adults. Measures of perceived racial discrimination, depression, and helplessness were administered. Though the majority of the sample reported minimal or no symptoms of depression, approximately 37% of the sample reported dysphoric or more severe depression symptomatology. After controlling for age, perceived racial discrimination was directly and indirectly associated with depressive symptoms via helplessness. These findings provide some insight into the cognitive mechanisms through which depressive symptoms may emerge for African American young adults exposed to racial discrimination.

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Background and Objectives To assess tobacco use among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals from the 2014 Houston Pride Parade and Festival in Houston, Texas (TX). Methods Cross-sectional study using convenience sample of LGBT individuals (n=99) examining tobacco use, sexual orientation, and other socio-demographic factors through survey participation. Results Findings showed a high prevalence of tobacco and electronic cigarettes use. White LGBT individuals had greater odds of using any type of tobacco product. Discussion and Conclusions Despite a high smoking prevalence among the surveyed LGBT individuals, this study sample did not identify tobacco use as a health issue. Scientific Significance Supports the need for further investigation on tobacco-related disparities among LGBT individuals in Houston, TX.

Objective: To examine purpose in life (PIL) and ethnic identity (EI) as buffers to suicide ideation for Asian American, Hispanic, and Black emerging adults who perceive racial discrimination. Method: Two-hundred eighty-nine undergraduate students enrolled at a large university in the southwestern region of the United States (40.8% Asian American, 32.5% Hispanic, 26.6% Black; 61.2% women; mean age ϭ 20.47, SD ϭ 1.83) reported on experiences of racial discrimination, PIL, EI, and suicidal thoughts. Covariates were intrinsic religiosity, gender, and age. Results: Regression analysis showed that EI was not a significant moderator for the association between perceived racial discrimination (PRD) and suicidal ideation (␤ ϭ Ϫ.08, p ϭ .13; 95% confidence interval (CI) [Ϫ.19, .03]). However, PIL was a significant moderator (␤ ϭ Ϫ.11, p ϭ .025; CI [Ϫ.20, Ϫ.01]). A hierarchical regression showed that PIL as a moderator explained additional variance (⌬R 2 ϭ 0.11, p Ͻ .001) in suicide ideation above and beyond EI. Conclusions: These findings provide some insight into how life purpose might ameliorate the impact of social stressors above and beyond a positive cultural identity for young racial/ethnic minority adults.