title: Nonsuicidal self-injury, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among sexual minority youth in Ireland during their emerging adult years.
abstract: This study aimed to examine whether or not sexual minority youth constitute an at-risk group for nonsuicidal self-injury, suicidal ideation or suicide attempts during their emerging adult years.
  
  
  
  Using data from the Challenging Times Study, a population-based study of psychopathology and suicide in Ireland, analyses were conducted to test the associations between sexual minority status and the odds of any lifetime experience of nonsuicidal self-injury, suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts among Irish youth aged 19-24 years.
  
  
  
  Sexual minority youth had 6.6-fold (95% CI 1.7-24.7) increased risk of nonsuicidal self-injury, a 5.0-fold (95% CI 1.3-18.3) increased risk of suicidal ideation, a 7.7-fold (95% CI 1.8-32.0) increased risk of suicide intent and a 6.8-fold (95% CI 1.6-27.6) increased risk of a suicide attempt during their lifetime compared to their heterosexual peers.
  
  
  
  This study shows that emerging adulthood is a period of risk for suicide and nonsuicidal self-injurious behaviour among sexual minority youth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Emmet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Power
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland. helencoughlan@rcsi.ie.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Coughlan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.|Department of Psychology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.|Department of Psychiatry, Cluain Mhuire Community Mental Health Service, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kelleher
authors.affiliation: Lucena Clinic, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Fionnuala
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Dearbhla
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.|St. Michael's House, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harley
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.|Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cannon
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities / Q000523:psychology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: emerging adult; minority group; nonsuicidal self-injury; public health; suicide