Negative and Positive Factors Associated With the Well-Being of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Youth

Abstract

Factors associated with the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth were qualitatively examined to better understand how these factors are experienced from the youths’ perspectives. Largely recruited from LGBTQ youth groups, 68 youth participated in focus groups (n = 63) or individual interviews (n = 5). The sample included 50% male, 47% female, and 3% transgender participants. Researchers used a consensual methods approach to identify negative and positive factors across 8 domains. Negative factors were associated with families, schools, religious institutions, and community or neighborhood; positive factors were associated with the youth's own identity development, peer networks, and involvement in the LGBTQ community. These findings suggest a pervasiveness of negative experiences in multiple contexts, and the importance of fostering a positive LGBTQ identity and supportive peer/community networks. Efforts should work towards reducing and eliminating the prejudicial sentiments often present in the institutions and situations that LGBTQ youth encounter.

Families Matter: Social Support and Mental Health Trajectories Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth

“…Growing awareness of these disparities has promoted critical adolescent LGBT health research. However, work is needed that moves beyond risk by attending to social context and building knowledge about promotive factors like social support [1–3,8,9]. Although LGB youth report lower support than their heterosexual peers [2,10], support may have a stronger promotive effect than for heterosexual youth as it mitigates LGB youth’s higher rates of suicidality [11].…”

“…Families may reflect societal stigma regarding sexual and gender minorities and function as a source of stress and discrimination for LGBT youth. Like other experiences of rejection [12], family rejection places LGBT youth at risk for adverse mental health outcomes [1–3,9]. LGB youth who reported high family rejection were 8.4 times more likely to have attempted suicide, 5.9 times more likely to experience high levels of depression, and 3.4 times more likely to use illicit substances than those who reported little or no family rejection [13].…”

“…Family acceptance has been associated with higher self-esteem and physical and mental health [20] and family sexuality support with decreased distress [21]. However, families are not always willing or able to provide this support [9,16,21], and LGB youth find some forms of family support less helpful than their heterosexual peers [22]. LGBT youth report more positive experiences of peer support, which may be why they describe peers as their primary source of support [9] and tend to obtain sexuality support from sexual minority peers [21].…”

“…However, families are not always willing or able to provide this support [9,16,21], and LGB youth find some forms of family support less helpful than their heterosexual peers [22]. LGBT youth report more positive experiences of peer support, which may be why they describe peers as their primary source of support [9] and tend to obtain sexuality support from sexual minority peers [21]. Given these complexities, researchers have called for examinations of the different forms of social support for LGBT youth [23].…”

“…Thus, a holistic perspective is needed that moves beyond a single domain (e.g., family, peers) to consider how multiple forms of support may collectively impact well-being [9,26]. To this end, a social support typologies framework is appropriate [27].…”