ONGOING RESEARCH PROJECTS
Project SPARK
Project SPARK: Supporting
Preteens and Advancing Research Knowledge
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Principal Investigator: Kirsty A. Clark, PhD, MPH
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The aim of this project is to collaborate closely with preteens (ages 9-12), their parents, and community leaders to shape future longitudinal research focused on sexual and gender diverse preteens at risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. We will establish a prospective cohort of at-risk preteens and their parents to evaluate factors of risk and resilience during this critical developmental phase.
Project SPEAK
Project SPEAK: Suicide Perceptions, Expectations, Acceptability, & Knowledge
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Principal Investigator: Kirsty A. Clark, PhD, MPH
Funder: Vanderbilt University Dean’s Faculty Fellowship in Mental Health
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Suicide script theory (Canetto, 2021) proposes that social norms and cultural narratives shape beliefs about when suicidal behavior is viewed as expected or acceptable for certain groups of people. Building on this framework, this project examines how adults’ expectations and perceptions of the acceptability of suicidal behavior among youth vary based on factors such as sexual orientation, gender identity, and structural stigma. The experimental vignette study also explores whether adults’ own sexual orientations, gender identities, and suicide histories shape these beliefs.
Project SPIRiT
Project SPIRiT: Suicide Prediction In Real-Time
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Principal Investigator: Kirsty A. Clark, PhD, MPH
Funder: National Institute of Mental Health (K01 MH125073)
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LGBTQ+ young people are at increased risk for suicide. The overarching goal of this project is to conduct an intensive longitudinal smartphone study to examine the influence of stigma-related stressors (e.g., bullying, identity concealment) and universal suicide precursors (e.g., hopelessness) on suicidal ideation among LGBTQ+ adolescents and young adults (ages 13-24) with histories of suicidal ideation. This project is being conducted in the local context of Tennessee, where LGBTQ+ young people face high exposure to stigma and associated mental health difficulties.
