title: Investigating the Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Stigma Among Young Adults With History of Suicide Attempts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Self-esteem is a major contributor to risk for repeated suicide attempts. Prior research has shown that awareness of stigma is associated with reduced self-esteem among people with mental illness. No prior studies have examined the association between self-esteem and stereotype awareness among individuals with past suicide attempts.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To understand the relationship between stereotype awareness and self-esteem among young adults who have and have not attempted suicide.
  
  
  METHODS
  Computerized surveys were administered to college students (N = 637). Linear regression analyses were used to test associations between self-esteem and stereotype awareness, attempt history, and their interaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant stereotype awareness by attempt interaction (β = -.74, p = .006) in the regression analysis. The interaction was explained by a stronger negative association between stereotype awareness and self-esteem among individuals with past suicide attempts (β = -.50, p = .013) compared with those without attempts (β = -.09, p = .037).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stigma is associated with lower self-esteem within this high-functioning sample of young adults with histories of suicide attempts. Alleviating the impact of stigma at the individual (clinical) or community (public health) levels may improve self-esteem among this high-risk population, which could potentially influence subsequent suicide risk.
authors.affiliation: 1 School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Meshan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Psychology, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hilimire
authors.affiliation: 3 Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Lawrence H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: 3 Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.|4 Department of Sociology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Link
authors.affiliation: 1 School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Jordan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: DeVylder
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012649:Self Concept; D057545:Social Stigma; D013240:Stereotyping; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: modified labeling theory; self-esteem; stereotype awareness; stigma; suicide