The effect of discrimination on suicidal ideation in college counseling: A multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy
Open Access
Author:
Chen, Serena
Graduate Program:
Psychology
Degree:
Master of Science
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
February 03, 2025
Committee Members:
Louis Georges Castonguay, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor Jeffrey Hayes, Committee Member Kristin Buss, Program Head/Chair Stephen Jeffrey Wilson, Committee Member
While studies suggest that psychotherapy can reduce suicidality, some clients continue to have residual suicidal ideation after a course of psychological treatment. Research has extended the interpersonal theory of suicide to the experience of discrimination to explain how discrimination may be associated with suicidal ideation. Additionally, the temporal intersectional minority stress model posits that stigma, prejudice, and discrimination create a hostile and stressful social environment, in turn causing mental health problems such as suicidal ideation. This study with both a cross-sectional and longitudinal component examines discrimination as one factor that may predict suicidal ideation both at the beginning and end of treatment, using multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (MAIHDA) to account for intersectionality. Results of the current study showed that a higher number of types of perceived discrimination predicted higher probability of beginning and ending treatment with suicidal ideation, regardless of discrimination type. Potential clinical and policy implications of these findings are discussed.
