UROP Project

Internal Religious Struggle and Suicide-Related Outcomes in Young Adults

suicide, young adults, sexual identity, religiosity

Research Mentor: Athena Thai, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Psychology, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: thai@psy.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Psychology
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 9, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Monday, August 31
  Start Time: 4:00
  End Time: 4:30
  Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/7848498610?pwd=AWM2BsqSSwkGt9QTABrUvGdWIViL9d.1&omn=93585625439

Project Description

Sexual minority young adults are at increased risk of suicide as a result of identity-based rejection and discrimination during a critical developmental period. While religiosity is often protective against suicide among heterosexual young adults, it has been associated with greater suicide risk among religious sexual minority young adults. Given that many major religious traditions include doctrinal teachings that conflict with sexual minority identities, religiosity may function as a uniquely salient risk factor that amplifies internal conflict and distress within this group. However, prior research has not clearly identified temporal pathways linking internal religious struggle to suicide-related outcomes, nor examined how these pathways align with established suicide theories. The proposed longitudinal study will examine (1) the relationship between internal religious struggle and suicide-related outcomes, including suicide ideation and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI); (2) whether attending religious activities prospectively predicts future suicide-related outcomes; and (3) the moderating role of proximal interpersonal suicide risk factors in the association between religious struggle and suicide-related outcomes among religious sexual minority and heterosexual young adults. A nationwide sample of N = 150 young adults will be recruited through ResearchMatch and FSU SONA. Participants will complete a baseline survey and two weekly follow-up surveys assessing religious struggle, recent religious activities, suicide ideation, NSSI, and interpersonal suicide risk factors (i.e., thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and capability for suicide).

Research Tasks: Research tasks will include participant-facing tasks, such as contacting eligible participants and assisting with participant recruitment, conducting suicide risk assessments, and reminding participants of upcoming study tasks. Research tasks will also include participant tracking, data management, and data analysis. Independent projects will require literature reviews and data analysis.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Coding in R- recommended
Experience with Microsoft Excel- recommended
Clinical experience- recommended
Experience reading and understanding research articles- required