Initial Suicide-Related Disclosure Characteristics, Motivations, and Outcomes Based on Sexual Orientation

Self-disclosure of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) is integral for risk assessment and intervention. However, limited research elucidates the nuanced characteristics of first disclosure experiences for bisexual individuals, who are disproportionately impacted by suicide yet remain underrepresented in the literature. This study examined the features, motivations, and outcomes of an initial STB disclosure among heterosexual and bisexual individuals.

Self-report data from 259 adults (M_age = 35.40 years; 35.09% bisexual) with a history of STB disclosure recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk (mTurk) were analyzed with univariate and non-parametric tests and binary logistic regression models.

Compared to heterosexuals, bisexual participants reported a higher prevalence of suicidal behavior disclosure, seeking formal disclosure recipients, and disclosing through online platforms. They were also more motivated to address physical safety concerns and obtain professional help and more frequently engaged in help-seeking behaviors post-disclosure. On average, both groups rated disclosure as helpful, with heterosexual individuals reporting it as more helpful. There was a significant main effect of help-seeking encouragement from recipients in predicting post-disclosure help-seeking engagement.

These findings underscore the necessity of considering the impact of sexual orientation differences in initial STB disclosure processes, which may set the benchmark for subsequent disclosure and help-seeking trajectories.