The Psychology of Self-Injury: Exploring Self-Harm & Mental Health

Self-Injury Among LGBTQ Individuals, with Dr. Lindsay Taliaferro

Episode Summary

Lindsay Taliaferro, PhD, from the University of Central Florida discusses the prevalence of self-injury among individuals who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ); common risk and protective factors; and the intersectionality of race, sexual minority status, and gender diversity among those who self-injure and self-harm.

Episode Notes

Why is it important to talk about nonsuicidal self-injury among LGBTQ individuals? Just how prevalent is self-injury among those who identify as LGBTQ? And are there differences in rates of self-injury among sexual minority individuals (e.g., Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual) compared to those that are Transgender or Gender Diverse?  In this episode, Dr. Lindsay Taliaferro discusses risk and protective factors for engaging in self-injury among LGBTQ individuals. She also tackles the intersectionality of race, sexual minority status, and gender diversity among those who self-injure and self-harm. Below are links to some of her research and the resources referenced in this episode:

Rogers, M. L., & Taliaferro, L. A. (2020). Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors among sexual and gender minority youth: A systematic review of recent research. Current Sexual Health Reports, 12, 335–350.

Taliaferro, L. A., McMorris, B. J., Rider, G. N., & Eisenberg, M. E. (2019). Risk and protective factors for self-harm in a population-based sample of transgender youth. Archives of Suicide Research, 23(2), 203-221.

Taliaferro, L. A., McMorris, B. J., & Eisenberg, M. E. (2018). Connections that moderate risk of non-suicidal self-injury among transgender and gender non-conforming youth. Psychiatry Research, 268, 65-67.

GLSEN's National School Climate Survey (2019).

Hatch Youth - the Montrose Center in Houston: https://www.montrosecenter.org/hatch-youth/

The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS).

The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #5 by Feedspot in their "Top 15 Clinical Psychology Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021" and by Welp Magazine in their "20 Best Injury Podcasts of 2021."