The BELONG framework: An LGBTQIA+-inclusive suicide prevention gatekeeper training
AI Summary
LGBTQIA+ populations face disproportionate suicide risk due to systemic inequities, discrimination, and minority stress, requiring targeted gatekeeper training.
BELONG integrates minority stress theory, sociopolitical development, and intersectionality into knowledge, attitudes, skills, and self-efficacy domains with practical affirming strategies.
Advocacy is cross-cutting, emphasising gatekeepers' role in creating affirming environments and promoting structural change to reduce LGBTQIA+ suicide risk.
Psychol Serv. 2026 Jun 29. doi: 10.1037/ser0001058. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two spirit, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) individuals experience disproportionately high rates of suicidal ideation, attempts, and deaths compared to the general population. These disparities are fueled by systemic inequities, discrimination, and minority stress. Gatekeeper trainings such as Question, Persuade, Refer and SafeTALK have been shown to improve knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy in suicide prevention. Despite ongoing advancements in suicide prevention efforts, a significant need remains for approaches that move beyond general adaptation toward full integration of LGBTQIA+-specific factors. This gap leaves gatekeepers underprepared to recognize LGBTQIA+-specific risk factors and provide affirming support. To address this gap, we introduce BELONG, a conceptual framework for an LGBTQIA+-inclusive suicide prevention gatekeeper training. BELONG integrates minority stress theory, sociopolitical development theory, and intersectionality into the four established domains of gatekeeper training knowledge, attitudes, skill development, and self-efficacy. BELONG incorporates practical strategies such as LGBTQIA+-specific role-plays, affirming communication practice, tailored referral resources, and advocacy tools. These components are designed to strengthen gatekeepers’ intervention confidence while expanding their capacity to address systemic barriers that exacerbate suicide risk. A distinguishing feature of BELONG is the positioning of advocacy as a cross-cutting construct. Rather than focusing exclusively on individual-level crisis intervention, the model emphasizes the role of gatekeepers in fostering affirming environments and promoting structural change. By embedding affirmation, belonging, and critical consciousness into a structured training framework, BELONG advances the field of suicide prevention through a culturally grounded model tailored to LGBTQIA+ populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
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