Perceived Discrimination and Acculturative Stress among Ethnic Minority College Students: The Impact on Suicide Risk via Perceived Burdensomeness and Thwarted Belongingness

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. It is important to understand the role of sociocultural factors in suicide among individuals who belong to ethnic minority populations. This study investigated the indirect association of perceived discrimination and acculturative stress on suicide risk via perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belonginess among ethnic minority college students. One-hundred-sixty-seven undergraduate students (41.9% men; 58.1% women) between the ages of 18–28 years completed online questionnaires assessing perceived discrimination, acculturative stress, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and suicide risk. Analyses revealed an indirect effect of perceived discrimination and acculturative stress on suicide risk through perceived burdensomeness, but not through thwarted belongingness. Both perceived discrimination and acculturative stress were associated with greater perception of burdensomeness, which was associated with increased suicide risk. Limitations of this study include an undergraduate sample from the Midwestern region, a small sample size for each minority group, and a cross-sectional design. These findings contribute to the literature of suicide among ethnic minority college students and may have clinical implications for suicide prevention efforts in these populations.