Sexual identity development: relationship with lifetime suicidal ideation in sexual minority women.

The sample was recruited through non-probability methods and only in the Chicago metropolitan area, so it may not represent sexual minority women elsewhere. The analysis was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that reaching a milestone in adolescence caused later suicidal ideation. Lifetime suicidal ideation was measured without timing, so the study cannot tell whether ideation occurred at the same developmental stage as the milestone. The suicidal ideation measure did not assess seriousness, intent, or planning, so it may not capture the degree of suicide risk. Sexual identity stigma and distress around milestones were not measured, so they may explain some associations. Milestone ages were self-reported retrospectively, which can introduce recall bias, especially for older participants. The ages at first deciding and first disclosing were highly correlated, which could distort some estimates.

Do not conclude that early awareness of same-sex attraction causes suicidal ideation. The study was cross-sectional and measured lifetime ideation, so it cannot establish timing or causality.