Disparities in Persistent Victimization and Associated Internalizing Symptoms for Heterosexual Versus Sexual Minority Youth.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Kaufman TML
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7064905 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Disparities in Persistent Victimization and Associated Internalizing Symptoms for Heterosexual Versus Sexual Minority Youth.
Kaufman Tessa M L TML Baams Laura L Veenstra René R
Journal of research on adolescence : the official journal of the Society for Research on Adolescence 20190330
This study investigated whether lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents were at higher risk for persistent victimization of bullying compared to heterosexual adolescents, and how victimization trajectories were associated with internalizing symptom development across LGB and heterosexual adolescents. Data came from a five-wave study (M<sub>age</sub> T1 = 11.1 to M<sub>age</sub> T5 = 22.3; n = 151 LGB; n = 1,275 heterosexual) and informants were adolescents and their parents. Adolescents wer ...[more]
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Project description:PurposeThe aim of this study was to identify sex-stratified trends in victimization risk specific to heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning youth while considering changes in sexual orientation-disparities from 2009 to 2017.MethodsYouth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data collected biennially (five waves; 2009-2017) were pooled across 56 jurisdictions and 454,715 students for one of the most nationally representative samples of heterosexual and sexual minority youth to date. We analyzed a seven-item victimization risk assessment using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended trend analysis approach. We used logistic regression with year-by-identity interactions to test whether sexual orientation-based disparities widened, narrowed, or were maintained over time.ResultsVictimization risk declined significantly for male and female bisexual and questioning youth, lesbian, gay, and heterosexual youth. Disparities narrowed between bisexual, questioning, and lesbian females and heterosexual females and between bisexual and heterosexual males. Nevertheless, sexual orientation-based disparities remained significant for all sexual minority youth in 2017.ConclusionsDistinct patterns of change in victimization risk for specific groups of sexual minority youth underscore the need to consider variability within sexual minority youth communities; treating them as a singular group could mask nuanced disparities. Some of the relatively small decreases in victimization risk also suggest the need for interventions to address a more comprehensive set of victimization-related risks beyond bullying and needed efforts that are not limited to the immediate school context.
| S-EPMC6980438 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents and more knowledge from high risk groups is needed in order to develop effective preventive strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between sexual minority status and suicidality in a multinational sample of European school pupils. METHODS:A self-report questionnaire was delivered to 2046 adolescents (mean age 15.34±1.01; 56.3% females) recruited from 27 randomly selected schools in 6 European countries. Suicidal ideation, measured with the Paykel Suicide Scale (PSS), and lifetime suicide attempts were compared between heterosexual and sexual minority (i.e. those with a non-heterosexual orientation) youth. Poisson regression analyses studied the longitudinal association between sexual minority status and the rate of serious suicidal ideation, measured at three time-points during a 4-month period. Several variables, including alcohol and illegal drugs use, bullying, family interaction, school-related stress, economic status, and religiosity, were included in multivariable analysis. Sex-stratified analyses evaluated the association respectively among females and males. RESULTS:Of 1958 pupils included in analysis (mean age 15.35±1.00; females 56.8%), 214 (10.9%) were categorized as sexual minority youth (SMY). When compared to heterosexual youth (HSY), SMY were significantly more exposed to substance abuse, bullying, school-related stress, and lower economic status. SMY pupils had significantly higher suicidal ideation scores (p<0.001; r 0.145) as well as higher prevalence of serious suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR] 2.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.83-3.79) and previous suicide attempts (OR 2.72, 95%CI 1.77-4.18), compared to their HSY peers. The rate of serious suicidal ideation reports during the study was significantly higher among SMY compared to HSY (rate ratio [RR] 2.55, 95%CI 1.90-3.43). A significant difference was found even when controlling for the pupils' country as well as after adjustment for alcohol and illegal drugs use, bullying, family interaction, school-related stress, economic status, and religiosity (adjusted RR 1.73, 95%CI 1.23-2.48). Stratified analyses showed significant associations between SMY status and persistent serious suicidal ideation for both sexes, with a notably strong association among male pupils (females aRR 1.51, 95%CI 1.01-2.24; males aRR 3.84, 95%CI 1.94-7.59). CONCLUSIONS:European sexual minority youth are a high-risk group for suicidality, independently from objective factors such as victimization or substance abuse. There is a need to develop primary and secondary preventive measures for sexual minority youth, including the management of context vulnerabilities and related distal stressors, before the establishment of proximal stressors. Context-targeting interventions may effectively focus on social and economic factors, as well as on the potentially different risk profile of female and male sexual minority youth.
| S-EPMC7567377 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Sexual minority youth (SMY) are at higher risk for victimization and suicide than are heterosexual youth (HY). Relatively little research has examined which types of victimization are most closely linked to suicide, which is necessary to develop targeted prevention interventions. The present study was conducted to address this deficit.The data come from the 2011 Chicago Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n = 1,907). Structural equation modeling (SEM) in Mplus evaluated the direct, indirect, and total effects of sexual orientation on a latent indicator of suicidal ideation and behaviors via seven types of victimization. Four indicators of victimization were school-specific (e.g., harassment due to sexual orientation or gender identity (SO/GID), bullying, threatened or injured with a weapon, and skipping school due to safety concerns), and three indicators assessed other types of victimization (e.g., electronic bullying, intimate partner violence, and sexual abuse).Thirteen percent of youth were classified as SMY. Significantly more SMY than HY reported suicidal ideation (27.95% vs. 13.64%), a suicide plan (22.78% vs. 12.36%), and at least one suicide attempt (29.92% vs. 12.43%) in the past year (all P < .001). A greater percentage of SMY reported SO/GID-related harassment, skipping school, electronic bullying, and sexual abuse. Sexual orientation was not directly related to suicidal ideation and behaviors in SEM. Rather, SMY's elevated risk of suicidality functioned indirectly through two forms of school-based victimization: being threatened or injured with a weapon (B = .19, SE = .09, P ≤ .05) and experiencing SO/GID-specific harassment (B = .40, SE = .15, P ≤ .01). There also was a trend for SMY to skip school as a strategy to reduce suicide risk.Although SMY experience higher rates of victimization than do HY, school-based victimization that involves weapons or is due to one's SO/GID appear to be the most deleterious. That SMY may skip school to reduce their risk of suicidal ideation and behaviors is problematic, and schools should be encouraged to enact and enforce policies that explicitly protect SMY from victimization.
| S-EPMC4841901 | biostudies-other
Project description:PurposeTo examine standard binge drinking (≥4 drinks for females, ≥5 drinks for males) and high-intensity binge drinking (≥8 drinks for females, ≥10 drinks for males) among heterosexual and sexual minority youth in the US and whether reports of school-based victimization mediate this association.MethodsSurvey data are from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS; n = 10,839, Mage = 16.07). Logistic regression adjusted for race/ethnicity and age compared rates of standard and high-intensity binge drinking among heterosexual and sexual minority youth and whether experiences of school-based victimization mediated this association. Effects were tested in full sample and sex-stratified models.ResultsLesbian and bisexual girls and girls with male and female partners were more likely than heterosexual girls to report standard rates of binge drinking. Lesbian girls and girls reporting male and female sexual partners were more likely than heterosexual girls to report high-intensity binge drinking in the past 30 days. Compared with heterosexual boys, gay boys were significantly less likely to participate in high-intensity binge drinking. School-based victimization mediated all significant associations between sexual minority status and standard and high-intensity binge drinking, with the exception of lesbian girls.ConclusionLesbian and behaviorally bisexual girls have elevated risk for high-intensity binge drinking relative to heterosexual girls. Findings point to the importance of policies that reduce school-based victimization as these experiences are associated with higher rates of standard and high-intensity binge drinking among sexual minority girls.
| S-EPMC8142791 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Purpose: Sexual minority youth (SMY), particularly bisexual youth and youth unsure of their sexual identity, are at greater risk of poor mental and sexual health outcomes than heterosexual youth. The purpose of this study was to examine disparities in intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental and sexual health for Black and Latino/a bisexual and unsure youth compared with their White bisexual and unsure and Black and Latino/a heterosexual peers. Methods: We used aggregated state and school district 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data to demonstrate differences in mental health (e.g., depressive symptoms and suicidality), sexual health (e.g., number of sexual partners and contraceptive use), and physical and sexual IPV between Black and Latino/a bisexual and unsure youth, and their White bisexual and unsure and Black and Latino/a heterosexual peers. Results: Bisexual and unsure youth had higher odds of depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation and plans, and physical IPV than their same-race heterosexual peers. Black and Latina bisexual and unsure females were more likely to report sexual health risk behaviors than Black and Latina heterosexual females. There were few differences between bisexual and unsure youth of color and White youth. Conclusion: We add to a growing body of literature showing disparities in IPV and mental and sexual health among bisexual and unsure youth of color. Pronounced risk for poor health outcomes among bisexual and unsure females of color needs to be especially addressed by prevention and intervention efforts. We encourage further research on the health of SMY with multiple marginalized identities.
| S-EPMC8213006 | biostudies-literature
Project description:HIV remains a serious concern among youth, particularly among sexual minority youth (SMY). Risk behaviors including low rates of HIV testing and inconsistent condom use as well as use of substances before sex contribute to these disparities. Therefore, HIV education in schools may be a valuable tool for reducing HIV-related risk behaviors. Using a large, pooled sample of youth (N = 169,468) from the 2009-2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), we conducted the first population-level assessment of associations between HIV education and risk behavior prevalence among high school-aged youth by sexual behavior (i.e., sex of sexual partner [s]) in the USA. Results demonstrated that racial/ethnic minority youth and SMY were less likely to have received HIV education than White or heterosexual peers. HIV education was associated with less substance use at last sex. Among males, HIV education was associated with increased condom use and HIV testing, emphasizing its promise as a potential intervention for risk behavior reduction. Results are discussed in light of current literature with future recommendations.
| S-EPMC7470599 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Accumulating evidence suggests that sexual minorities experience elevated levels of depressive symptoms compared to heterosexuals in Western countries. Still, little is known about whether there is any difference in depressive symptoms between sexual minority men and heterosexual men in China. This study investigated the differences in depressive symptoms and social support between 302 Chinese sexual minority men and 249 heterosexual men. The association between depressive symptoms, social support and sexual orientation was also explored. Our results indicated that Chinese sexual minority men have more depressive symptoms and perceived lower social support than heterosexual men. Overall, sexual orientation and social support both predicted depressive symptoms. Different from previous Western studies, in our results, social support fully mediates but does not moderate the relationship between sexual orientation and depressive symptoms in Chinese men. The current findings suggest that social support has a significant impact on depressive symptoms among Chinese sexual minority men, highlighting the unique role of social support in understanding depressive symptoms among Chinese sexual minority men. Providing more social support, as well as promoting accepting and positive environments, may lead to better adjustment in this population in China.
| S-EPMC6944333 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionExposure to violence victimization may help explain disparities of substance use among gender-nonconforming youth (i.e., those whose gender expression differs from societal expectations).MethodsIn 2015, three large urban school districts (2 in California and 1 in Florida) conducted a Youth Risk Behavior Survey that included the assessment of gender expression among a racially/ethnically diverse population-based sample of 6,082 high school students. Five categories of violence victimization were assessed (felt unsafe at school, threatened or injured with a weapon at school, bullied at school, electronically bullied, and forced sexual intercourse). In 2019, the effect of violence victimization on substance use disparities was examined by calculating sex-stratified prevalence ratios by gender nonconformity, adjusted for sexual identity, race/ethnicity, and grade (adjusted prevalence ratio 1 [APR1]), and comparing these with prevalence ratios adjusted for those variables plus violence victimization (adjusted prevalence ratio 2 [APR2]).ResultsAmong female students, only being threatened or injured with a weapon was significantly (p<0.05) associated with gender nonconformity and there were no substance use disparities by gender nonconformity. Among male students, every category of violence victimization was more prevalent among gender-nonconforming than among gender-conforming students and most substance use categories demonstrated significant gender nonconformity disparities. After controlling for violence victimization, these disparities decreased but remained statistically significant for the use of cocaine (APR1=2.84 vs APR2=1.99), methamphetamine (APR1=4.47 vs APR2=2.86), heroin (APR1=4.55 vs APR2=2.96), and injection drug use (APR1=7.90 vs APR2=4.72).ConclusionsSchool-based substance use prevention programs may benefit from strategies that support gender diversity and reduce violence victimizations experienced by gender-nonconforming students, by providing a safe and supportive school environment.
| S-EPMC7885263 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Few studies have examined the rates of childhood victimization among individuals who identify as "mostly heterosexual" (MH) in comparison to other sexual orientation groups. For the present study, we utilized a more comprehensive assessment of adverse childhood experiences to extend prior literature by examining if MH individuals' experience of victimization more closely mirrors that of sexual minority individuals or heterosexuals. Heterosexual (n = 422) and LGB (n = 561) and MH (n = 120) participants were recruited online. Respondents completed surveys about their adverse childhood experiences, both maltreatment by adults (e.g., childhood physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and childhood household dysfunction) and peer victimization (i.e., verbal and physical bullying). Specifically, MH individuals were 1.47 times more likely than heterosexuals to report childhood victimization experiences perpetrated by adults. These elevated rates were similar to LGB individuals. Results suggest that rates of victimization of MH groups are more similar to the rates found among LGBs, and are significantly higher than heterosexual groups. Our results support prior research that indicates that an MH identity falls within the umbrella of a sexual minority, yet little is known about unique challenges that this group may face in comparison to other sexual minority groups.
| S-EPMC4596800 | biostudies-other
Project description:INTRODUCTION:This study assesses associations between past-12-month sexual violence victimization and recent health risk behaviors using a nationally representative sample of male and female high school students. It is hypothesized that sexual violence victimization will be associated with most of the negative health behaviors for both sexes. METHODS:Data from the 2017 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a school-based cross-sectional survey of students in Grades 9-12, were used to assess associations between sexual violence victimization and 29 health risk behaviors in sex-stratified logistic regression models. Effect modification was also examined through sex X sexual violence victimization interactions within unstratified models. All models controlled for race/ethnicity, grade, and sexual identity. Data were analyzed in 2018. RESULTS:Students who experienced sexual violence victimization were significantly more likely to report many health risk behaviors and experiences, such as substance use, injury, negative sexual health behaviors, feelings of sadness or hopelessness, suicidality, poor academic performance, and cognitive difficulties, and these associations were often stronger among male students (significant adjusted prevalence ratios ranged from 1.63 to 14.40 for male and 1.24 to 6.67 for female students). CONCLUSIONS:Past-year sexual violence victimization was significantly related to various health risk behaviors, suggesting that efforts to prevent sexual violence may also be associated with decreases in poor health. Integrating violence, substance use, sexual, and other health risk prevention efforts is warranted.
| S-EPMC7266035 | biostudies-literature