Title of abstract: Understanding social connectedness as a factor for suicide and self-harm thoughts and behaviours in bisexual, pansexual and multigender attracted people: A scoping review
Bi+ individuals experience dual discrimination from heterosexual and sexual minority peers (Beach et al., 2019; Chang et al., 2022; Stewart, 2021) that result in social disconnection outcomes (Katz-Wise et al., 2017). With social connectedness a factor in suicidality and self-harm (Durkheim et al., 2002; Kleiman et al., 2014; Simundic et al., 2024), the unique social experiences of Bi+ individuals may be a contributing factor for their elevated risk of suicide. This scoping review aims to gain insight into this disparity by examining literature on the associations between social connectedness and suicide and self-harm thoughts and behaviours among Bi+ people. The scoping review will also assess literature on various types of social connectedness (i.e., inclusive of interpersonal relationships that consist of friends, peers, family, work/school colleagues and community) for Bi+ individuals associated with their suicidality and self-harm. The scoping review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews (Peters et al., 2020). The final scoping review manuscript will be written using the Preferred Reporting Items for System Reviews and Meta-Analysis Checklist (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews reporting guidelines (PRISMA, 2024). Results will be completed prior to the conference, and it is anticipated that a social connectedness disparity for Bi+ people will be associated with greater risk of suicide. Generating research that focuses on the unique contributing factors of suicide risk for Bi+ people assists in the development of appropriate prevention and interventions for suicide and self-harm.