Ethnic discrimination and suicidal ideation among Latinx women.

Suicide and suicidal ideation are critical public health concerns with national estimates showing dramatic increases in recent years among already marginalized communities, including Latinx women. Unfortunately, minimal research has examined ethnic discrimination and suicidal ideation while accounting for cultural values among Latinx samples. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether the role of depression symptoms as a mediator of the relationship between ethnic discrimination and suicidal ideation was conditional upon the level of cultural values endorsed, namely, gender roles and family support. The sample included 198 Latinx women from the community who completed a series of self-report questionnaires. The major findings revealed a statistically significant conditional indirect effect such that more traditional gender role attitudes reduced the ability of depression to mediate the ethnic discrimination-suicidal ideation link. Nonsignificant findings were observed when family support was included as the moderator. Overall, the current study provides further evidence for the harmful mental health consequences of ethnic discrimination, particularly suicidal ideation among Latinx women. Further, the results show the importance of including cultural values, particularly traditional gender roles, when conceptualizing suicide risk and protective factors in this population.