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This research examined associations between dating and number of friends for rural adolescents with same-sex and other-sex dating partners using longitudinal sociometric data (N = 2826; 55% female, 87% White, mean age = 14 at baseline). In multilevel models assessing within-person change, boys gained female friends when they were in same-sex romantic relationships, compared to when they were single. In contrast, girls in same-sex relationships lost female friends and gained male friends. Adolescents in other-sex romantic relationships gained same-sex friends compared to when they were single. Results advance understanding of adolescent social and sexual development, suggesting that sexual minority adolescents find allies when dating but may struggle to maintain same-sex friendships.

Research shows that sexual minority youth are at increased risk for negative mental health outcomes (Goldbach & Gibbs, 2017; Kann et al., 2017; The Trevor Project, 2019). According to the minority stress model (Meyer, 2003), such disparities are proportionately related to their experiences of sexual minority stress (e.g., discrimination, internalized homonegativity). The effects of minority stress on adverse mental health outcomes can be mitigated through coping and social support resources (Griffin et al., 2004; Toomey et al., 2018). While coping and support resources are empirically supported within the minority stress model, empirical research has yet to explore the role of rescripted or subverted mainstream media messages in such relationships. In light of this, the current dissertation examined a novel coping mechanism (i.e., queer readings), which was theorized to moderate the impact of minority stress and negative mental health among sexual minority youth. Scholars posit that media texts are polysemic (i.e., open to multiple interpretations; Hall & Jefferson, 1993; Nylund, 2007) and typically promote governing societal norms (Hall, 1973). Popular media represent a social institution within Western cultures in which dominant societal values, norms, and expectations are spread. Due to their marginalized position within society, sexual minority individuals are frequently underrepresented by mainstream media messages. One way in which marginalized individuals can challenge the dominant, heteronormative discourse is through subversive/queer readings in which individuals interpret messages against heteronormative ideals (Doty, 1993). Ultimately, this allows sexual minority youth to re-script mainstream media messages to fit within their experiences. In the current dissertation, I suggested that this process, referred to as queer readings, may help alleviate the impact of minority stress on negative mental health outcomes. In other words, queer readings create oppor

BackgroundDifferences in risk and protective factors (e.g., victimization, abuse, social support) have been used to explain elevated rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in sexual minority youth (SMY) relative to heterosexual peers. However, little is known regarding how risk and protective factors may explain suicide risk differences among subgroups of SMY. The aims of this study were to 1) examine differences in prevalence and severity for suicide risk and protective factors among SMY, and 2) explore whether risk and protective factors are differentially associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts for SMY subgroups.MethodsParticipants were 6,423 adolescents (ages 12-17) recruited from 14 Emergency Departments across the United States who completed an assessment of suicide risk and protective factors. SMY were 20% of the sample (n = 1,275) and categorized as bisexual (8%), gay/lesbian (2%), mostly straight (5%), or other sexual minority (5%).ResultsBisexual youth had elevated rates of suicidal ideation and attempts, more risk factors (e.g., bullying victimization, depression), and fewer protective factors (e.g., parent-family connectedness, positive affect) relative to mostly straight and other sexual minority youth. Bisexual and gay/lesbian youth only differed in parent-family connectedness (lower among bisexual youth). Depression and parent-family connectedness had weaker associations with suicidal ideation for bisexual youth.LimitationsEmergency departments were not nationally representative. Study design was cross-sectional, preventing causal inferences.ConclusionsInterventions seeking to mitigate risk factors and promote protective factors are greatly needed for SMY and may benefit from tailoring to address unique stressors for sexual minority subgroups.

Sexual minority youth report poorer mental health than heterosexual youth. According to the minority stress framework, this results from sexual minority individuals being societally marginalized, which for sexual minority youth may include being poorly integrated in the peer context. A sociometric approach was used to test whether peer relationships, measured broadly as friendship, acceptance, disliking, and bullying relationships, mediated the link between a sexual minority orientation and depressive symptoms in adolescence. Analyses were conducted across three samples from the Netherlands and Belgium (N = 352; N = 1848; N = 263). Sexual minority respondents reported higher levels of depressive symptoms than heterosexual respondents, yet sexual orientation differences in peer relationships were small. Moreover, no link between peer relationships and depressive symptoms was found. Consequently, indirect effects were small too.

Latinx sexual minority youth (SMY) experience sexual orientation-based victimization at school and may internalize these homophobic experiences. At the same time, the minority stress model posits sexual minority individuals may benefit from social support. Thus, the current study explored associations between sexual orientation-based victimization and internalized homonegativity across social contexts (family, peer, and school adult) and across development (high school versus college) among 233 Latinx SMY. Results showed that sexual orientation-based victimization was positively associated with internalized homonegativity among Latinx SMY. Such associations were moderated by perceived family support and the school level in the family context such that in high school, perceived family support exacerbated associations between sexual orientation-based victimization and internalized homonegativity, but in college, it mitigated that association. Similarly, findings also showed perceived peer support exacerbated the associations between sexual orientation-based victimization and internalized homonegativity. There was no moderating effect of perceived school adult support in the associations between sexual orientation-based victimization and internalized homonegativity. These findings contribute empirical evidence regarding the minority stress model among Latinx SMY and highlighted the potential complex effect of social support across social contexts and development.

Sexual minority youth face mental health disparities compared to their heterosexual peers, including higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicide, and substance use. Parent support serves as a top predictive factor of mental health outcomes for sexual minority youth, but there are few psychological resources available to increase support. The first phase of this study involved the development of the Parent Resource for Increasing Sexual Minority Support (PRISMS), a brief online intervention for parents of sexual minority youth ages 13-18. Development of the PRISMS intervention was informed by psychological research about increasing parental self-efficacy and behavioral intentions for supportive parenting practices—two predictors of supportive behaviors—as well as interviews with parents of sexual minority individuals, usability testing, and feedback from researchers and practitioners with expertise in relevant areas. The second phase of this study involved testing the efficacy of the PRISMS intervention for increasing parental self-efficacy and behavioral intentions for sexual minority-supportive parenting practices, and assessing the acceptability of the intervention. Two-hundred-nineteen participants completed the study, and two analyses of covariance were performed. Results indicated that PRISMS significantly increased parental self-efficacy for sexual minority-supportive parenting practices compared to a control, F(1, 215) = 5.15, p = .024, but did not increase behavioral intentions F (1, 216) = .88, p = .350. An exploratory analysis using an independent samples t-test suggested that parents who were the most distressed about their child’s sexual orientation experienced gains in behavioral intentions (t = -2.17, p = .030), but further research is needed to assess this effect. Results also suggested that the PRISMS intervention was acceptable in terms of credibility, participant affect at post-test, and overall satisfaction at a level comparable to treatment as u

In Western countries, sexual and gender minority (SGM) students have been ostracised and harassed due to heteronormative societal views that suggest individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) are not entitled to the same rights as heterosexual people (Taylor et al., 2011). This lack of recognition, acceptance, and tolerance for this vulnerable population has negative impacts on the mental health of SGM youth and is correlated with increased risk for bullying, suicide, depression, homelessness, and drug use. There has been much research to suggest LGBTQ youth benefit from a supportive and inclusive school climate that validates, respects, and acknowledges the needs of this group (Peter, Taylor, & Campbell, 2016). This project includes literature on how to support SGM youth in school and A Manual to Support Gender and Sexual Minority Youth to help teachers, school counsellors, and administrators increase their competence in creating a culture of acceptance and tolerance.

Mental health disparities between sexual minority and other youth have been theorized to result in part from the effects of the stigmatization on social integration. Stochastic actor-based modeling was applied to complete network data from two high schools in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (mean age =15 years, n=2,533). Same-sex attracted youth were socially marginalized in a smaller predominantly White school but not in a larger, more racially diverse school. For both schools, homophily was a critical network feature, and could represent social support for and social segregation of such youth. These findings emphasize school context in studying the social lives of sexual minority youth and suggest that youth may be better off socially in larger and more diverse schools.

PurposeLittle is known about adolescent relationship abuse (ARA) and related sexual and reproductive health among females who either identify as lesbian or bisexual or engage in sexual behavior with female partners (i.e., sexual minority girls [SMGs]).MethodsBaseline data were collected from 564 sexually active girls ages 14-19 years seeking care at eight California school-based health centers participating in a randomized controlled trial. Associations between ARA, sexual minority status and study outcomes (vaginal, oral, and anal sex, number and age of sex partners, contraceptive nonuse, reproductive coercion, sexually transmitted infection [STI] and pregnancy testing) were assessed via logistic regression models for clustered survey data.ResultsSMGs comprised 23% (n = 130) of the sample. Controlling for exposure to ARA, SMGs were less likely to report recent vaginal sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], .51; 95% confidence interval [CI], .35-.75) and more likely to report recent oral sex (AOR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.38-2.92) and anal sex (AOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.26-2.46) compared with heterosexual girls. Heterosexual girls with ARA exposure (AOR, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.07-7.59) and SMGs without ARA exposure (AOR, 3.01; 95% CI, 2.01-4.50) were more likely than nonabused heterosexual girls be seeking care for STI testing or treatment than heterosexual girls without recent victimization.ConclusionsFindings suggest the need for attention to STI risk among all girls, but SMGs in particular. Clinicians should be trained to assess youth for sexual contacts and sexual identity and counsel all youth on healthy relationships, consensual sex, and safer sex practices relevant to their sexual experiences.

Sexual minority youth (i.e., youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or who report same-sex attractions) disproportionally experience negative mental health and academic outcomes. Yet, few studies have examined positive youth development for this population. The goal of these three manuscripts is to add new information about positive developmental contexts for sexual minority youth in order to generate ideas for intervention and prevention. More specifically, the focus of these three manuscripts is on school-based extracurricular activity involvement of sexual minority youth.Manuscript one presents results from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health that compare sexual minority and heterosexual youth involvement in school-based extracurricular activities. Results documented that sexual minority youth are involved in school-based extracurricular activities at the same frequency as their heterosexual peers. For all youth, there was a small, but positive association between extracurricular activity involvement and school connectedness. School connectedness was associated with better mental health (i.e., higher self-esteem and lower depression), and these associations were stronger for sexual minority youth.Manuscript two presents results from the Preventing School Harassment Study that examine lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) youth involvement in Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs). GSAs are extracurricular clubs that are tailored to the needs of LGBQ youth. This study examined the concurrent associations among GSA presence, GSA membership, and participation in GSA-related social justice activities, with victimization based on sexual orientation and school-based and civic outcomes. GSA presence and participation in GSA-related social justice activities were positively associated with school belongingness and grade-point average (GPA), and GSA membership was associated with greater school belongingness. Results suggested, however, that the p

The present study examined the archived results of a national survey involving the perceived role and actual practices of school psychologists working with sexual minority youth. The study focused on identifying factors associated with the perceived role and responsibility of school psychologists when working with this population and subsequent provision of support services. The majority of school psychologists agreed addressing harassment should be a part of their role while only one-third gave such ratings in regard to addressing sexual risks. There was wide variability across differing types of actual services provided. Less than one-quarter of the respondents reported involvement with sexual health related issues and one-quarter had intervened to address harassment of LGBQ youth. Survey responses demonstrated a significant relationship between the amount of services delivered to LGBQ youth by school psychologists and the amount of both formal and professional development training these psychologists received related to LGBQ youth. However, only professional development training was related to perceived role. No relationship between the time elapsed since graduate training and services provided to LGBQ youth was found. Although attitudes about the role and responsibility of the school psychologist in working with LGBQ youth may not have changed, some individuals had the skill base to deliver such services. Clearly, given the literature's emphasis on viewing the school psychologist's role within this comprehensive health care model, it would be imperative to provide professional development and pre-service training in both the role and the skills needed for addressing the multiple needs of sexual minority youth.