Discrimination and suicide risk among transgender and gender-diverse adults: The moderating roles of self-compassion, self-coldness, and gender identity

Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) adults are disproportionately at risk of suicide. Discrimination is a key suicide risk correlate. Emerging evidence suggests transgender people may experience discrimination and suicide differently to gender-diverse people. No research has investigated whether self-compassion is protective against suicide within the TGD population. The present study examined whether self-compassion weakened and self-coldness strengthened the relationship between discrimination and suicide risk and whether these effects differed between gender groups (transgender or gender-diverse). An international sample of transgender (n= 240) and gender-diverse (n= 145) adults completed the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, the Self-Compassion Scale, the Transgender Discrimination Scale, and the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale. Results indicated significant gender differences in the way that self-compassion and self-coldness moderated the discrimination–suicide risk relationship, with patterns indicating self-compassion, was a protective correlate for gender-diverse participants and a risk correlate for transgender participants. Self-coldness significantly strengthened the discrimination–suicide risk relationship for gender-diverse participants. Interventions that aim to reduce self-coldness may help reduce suicide risk for gender-diverse people.