Sexual harassment, sexual assault, violence, self‐esteem, and the role of LGBTQ‐specific parental support in a sample of Latinx sexual and gender minority youth

Abstract

IntroductionOftentimes as result of racism, cissexism, and heterosexism, many Latinx and sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth are victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence. These experiences of victimization are in part related to increased negative mental health outcomes such as decreased self‐esteem. Some research links LGBTQ‐specific parental support to mental health outcomes among Latinx SGM youth, yet, no research has explored the role of LGBTQ‐specific parental support with self‐esteem among Latinx SGM youth.MethodsIn a sample of 1,012 Latinx SGM youth (ages 13–17), we assessed: (a) associations between sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence and self‐esteem, (b) association between LGBTQ‐specific parental support and self‐esteem, and (c) whether LGBTQ‐specific parental support moderated the relation between sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence and self‐esteem. Main effect and moderation analyses examined interactions between LGBTQ‐specific parental support with sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence on self‐esteem.ResultsLatinx SGM youth experienced low levels of LGBTQ‐specific parental support and various degrees of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence. Also, transgender and nonbinary/genderqueer Latinx youth experienced lower self‐esteem than their Latinx cisgender counterparts. Increased LGBTQ‐specific parental support was related to increased self‐esteem. We also identified a significant interaction between sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence and LGBTQ‐specific parental support, such that parental support was more protective at low levels rather than high levels of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence among Latinx SGM youth.ConclusionsFindings add to a growing body of research about the importance of LGBTQ‐specific parental support for Latinx SGM youth, and the need to examine culturally appropriate approaches to understand parent‐child relationship among these communities.