Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people in the 15 to 19 year age group. Although qualitative research indicates that gay and lesbian adolescents are atparticularly high risk for suicide, little attention has been given to the impact homosexual interest has on suicide risk. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the impact homosexual interest has on suicide risk, while controlling for the mediating affects of isolation and depressed mood. The data used in the analysis was

more »

... d from the University of Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey, which included adolescents between 12 years of age to 20 years of age. Two homosexual interest groups (consistent homosexual interest and inconsistent homosexual interest) were used for comparison with heterosexual adolescents. The findings indicate that adolescents with consistent homosexual interest have over three and a half times the odds of being at risk for suicide that heterosexual adolescents have. Adolescents with inconsistent homosexual interest have odds of higher suicide risk that are significantly, though only slightly, more than heterosexual adolescents. After controlling for isolation and depressed mood, adolescents with consistent homosexual interest still have over three times the odds of suicide risk when compared with heterosexual adolescents. The difference between adolescents with inconsistent homosexual interest and heterosexual adolescents becomes non-significant.