Assessing the impact of resilience on the association between psychosocial stressors, mental health burdens, and suicidality among young sexual minority men in two U.S. cities

Sexual minority men encounter unique psychosocial challenges that are linked to elevated suicidal risk. This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the relationships between various psychosocial, HIV, substance use factors, and suicidality. Multivariable regressions were performed to examine the moderating role of resilience in these associations. Among 347 sexual minority men, suicidality was positively associated with increased anxiety, depression, perceived stress, recreational drug use, and HIV testing. Resilience mitigated most of these psychosocial adversities on suicidality. These findings highlight resilience as a critical intervenable mechanism against suicidality arising from psychosocial stressors among sexual minority men.