Parental Supportive Actions, Perceived Family Support, and Suicide Attempts in Transgender and Nonbinary Young People

Parental/caregiver support is crucial for reducing suicide risk among transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) young people; however, little research has explored how the perception of a behavior as being supportive, rather than the mere presence of the behavior itself, may influence suicide risk for TGNB young people.

Using cross-sectional data from The Trevor Project's 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ young people (6,029 TGNB participants aged 13-24), this study explored whether perceived family support mediated the relationship between parental/caregiver supportive actions (e.g., using correct name and pronouns, supporting gender expression) and past-year suicide attempts.

As hypothesized, adjusted logistic regression analyses showed that parental/caregiver supportive actions and perceived family support were both independently associated with lower odds of a past-year suicide attempt among TGNB young people. Additionally, mediation analysis revealed that perceived family support mediated the relationship between parental/caregiver supportive behaviors and past-year suicide attempts for TGNB young people.

Although concrete supportive actions are vital for TGNB young people, their protective value may operate through the extent to which youth perceive them as broader family support. Interventions designed to enhance both the enactment and perception of parental/caregiver support could strengthen suicide prevention efforts, guiding culturally competent, family-centered strategies to foster safety, belonging, and mental health among TGNB young people.