Abstract

Gender minorities face the problem of various discrimination in mainstream society, which is divided into men and women. The goal of this study was twofold. First, this study validated the Gender Minority Stress and Resilience (GMSR) measure, a self-report measure of stress and resilience of gender minorities in a Korean population. Second, based on the gender minority stress and resilience model and the interpersonal psychological model of suicide, this study aimed to examine the moderated mediating effect of resilience and interpersonal factors in the relationship between gender minority stress and suicidal ideation. It was hypothesized that gender minority resilience factors, such as pride and community connectedness would protect against suicidal ideation in the face of gender minority stress, and that thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness would function as facilitators for suicidal ideation. Using two hundred Korean gender minority data, the study results indicated that the GMSR is a valid measure of gender minority stress and resilience in a Korean gender minority population. However, the nine-factor model of the GMSR did not meet the standards of good measurement. Instead, the one-factor model of gender minority external stress, internal stress, and resilience, respectively, had appropriate model fits, suggesting these three factors retain independent psychological concepts. The results of the moderated mediating effect of resilience and interpersonal factors revealed that internal stress fully mediated the relationship between external stress and suicidal ideation and only perceived burdensomeness moderated the relationship between internal stress and suicidal ideation in the mediation model. The findings of this study suggest that gender minority-specific stress, especially internal stress, and perceived burdensomeness are important risk factors for suicidal ideation among the gender minority population in Korea.