Ambulatory Assessment of Suicidal Desire, Wish to Live, and Wish to Die: A Comparison of Bisexual and Heterosexual College Students

INTRODUCTION: Bisexual individuals face elevated suicide risk, yet relatively little is known about short-term fluctuations in suicidal ideation (SI) and related constructs within this population. This study compared the frequency and variability of SI facets among bisexual and heterosexual college students. METHOD: Sixty-two students (38 heterosexual; 24 bisexual) completed ambulatory assessments five times daily for 10 days, rating suicidal desire, wish to live (WTL), and wish to die (WTD). Analyses included generalized linear models and descriptive and variability statistics. RESULTS: Bisexual participants reported lower WTL and higher suicide desire and WTD than heterosexual peers, with the most robust effects observed for WTD. Bisexual participants were also more likely to endorse non-zero suicidal desire and WTD and experienced more frequent large moment-to-moment changes in these constructs. Models revealed similar variability in suicidal desire and WTD across groups, whereas bisexual individuals exhibited modestly higher variability in WTL. CONCLUSION: Findings suggested that bisexual individuals not only reported higher levels of suicidal desire and WTD but also experienced these states more frequently, with more frequent acute shifts over time. These results highlighted the importance of monitoring short-term fluctuations in suicidal thoughts and behaviors when assessing suicide risk in bisexual populations.