Does social connection mediate the relationship between gender minority stress and suicidal ideation? An investigation with inpatient transgender and gender diverse adults.

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people are at increased risk for suicide. Gender minority stress is associated with suicidal ideation (SI), and lack of social connection mediates this relationship. However, these associations have largely been studied in nonclinical samples and without also considering social connection as a resilience factor. The present study tested the relationships among minority stress, social connection, and SI among a sample of inpatient TGD adults. Fifty participants completed measures of proximal and distal gender minority stress, community connectedness, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness (PB), and SI. Structural equation modeling was employed to determine mediators of the relationship between gender minority stress and SI. Proximal, but not distal, minority stress was significantly correlated with SI. The proximal minority stress-SI relationship was partially mediated by PB but not thwarted belongingness. Community connectedness was also a mediator when explored in isolation; however, when community connectedness was included in the model along with thwarted belongingness and PB, only PB remained as a significant mediator. Proximal minority stress and PB are potential treatment mechanisms for reducing SI among inpatient TGD adults. Bolstering social connection with other TGD individuals may also lessen the negative impacts of proximal gender minority stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).