Crisis Line Use Among Undergraduate Men of Color: A Qualitative Inquiry

Suicide deaths are rising in the United States, with some evidence that they are rising most rapidly among men of color. However, men of color in emerging adulthood face unique barriers to accessing life-saving services, such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the present study, we examined factors that influence help-seeking for suicidal thoughts among undergraduate men of color with a reported history of suicidality. In this consensual qualitative research study, 20 undergraduate men of color responded to an anonymous open-ended questionnaire administered through an institutional research system. Our analysis yielded four domains (a) Intrapersonal Factors, (b) Systemic Factors, (c) Expectations of Using a Crisis Line, and (d) Expected Experience of Disclosure, that explained participants’ perceived barriers to, facilitators of, and potential experiences with crisis line utilization. Findings highlight the unique impacts of participants’ cultural beliefs, as well as the influence of traditional masculinity on help-seeking intentions.