A longitudinal study examining the associations of bullying victimization and suicidal ideation among sexual minority adolescents

Author(s):  
Susan M. De Luca ◽  
Christina Caramanis ◽  
Anao Zhang
2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 368-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul R. Sterzing ◽  
Jeremy J. Gibbs ◽  
Rachel E. Gartner ◽  
Jeremy T. Goldbach

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (15) ◽  
pp. 2524-2532 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. A. Oginni ◽  
E. J. Robinson ◽  
A. Jones ◽  
Q. Rahman ◽  
K. A. Rimes

AbstractBackgroundSexual minority youth have elevated suicidal ideation and self-harm compared with heterosexual young people; however, evidence for mediating mechanisms is predominantly cross-sectional. Using a longitudinal design, we investigated self-esteem and depressive symptoms as mediators of increased rates of suicidal ideation or self-harm (SISH) among sexual minority youth, and the roles of childhood gender nonconformity (CGN) and sex as moderators of these relationships.MethodIn total, 4274 youth from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort reported sexual orientation at age 15 years, and past-year SISH at age 20 years. Self-esteem and depressive symptoms were assessed at ages 17 and 18 years, respectively. CGN was measured at 30–57 months. Covariates included sociodemographic variables and earlier measures of mediator and outcome variables. Mediation pathways were assessed using structural equation modelling.ResultsSexual minority youth (almost 12% of the sample) were three times more likely than heterosexual youth to report past-year SISH (95% confidence interval 2.43–3.64) at 20 years. Two mediation pathways were identified: a single mediator pathway involving self-esteem and a multiple-mediated pathway involving self-esteem and depressive symptoms. Although CGN was associated with past-year SISH, it did not moderate any mediation pathways and there was no evidence for moderation by sex.ConclusionsLower self-esteem and increased depressive symptoms partly explain the increased risk for later suicidal ideation and self-harm in sexual minority youth. Preventive strategies could include self-esteem-enhancing or protecting interventions, especially in female sexual minority youth, and treatment of depression.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. e020969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeen Huang ◽  
Pengsheng Li ◽  
Lan Guo ◽  
Xue Gao ◽  
Yan Xu ◽  
...  

ObjectivesSuicidality among sexual minority adolescents has generated worldwide concern in recent decades, and previous Western studies have demonstrated that sexual minority status is associated with adolescent suicidality. However, whether this association exists in Chinese adolescents remains largely unknown. This study aimed to estimate the associations between sexual minority status and suicidal behaviour among Chinese adolescents.DesignCross-sectional survey.SettingA total of 506 high schools in 7 provinces of China.ParticipantsA total of 150 822 students in grades 7–12 who completed the questionnaires (response rate of 95.9%) were included.Main outcome measuresSuicidal ideation and suicide attempts were used to measure suicidal behaviour, and sexual attraction (opposite sex, same sex or both sex) was used as a measure for sexual minority status.ResultsOf the 150 822 adolescents analysed, 4.1% self-reported as sexual minorities and 17.3% were unsure. Compared with heterosexual and unsure adolescents, same-sex romantic attraction (SSA) and both-sex romantic attraction (BSA) adolescents reported a higher prevalence of past-year suicidal ideation (SSA: 21.6% for males and 30.4% for females; BSA: 34.7% for males and 42.3% for females) and suicide attempts (SSA: 6.9% for males and 8.9% for females; BSA: 12.2% for males and 10.9% for females). After adjustment for covariates, SSA and BSA adolescents were more likely to have past-year suicidal ideation and suicide attempts than their heterosexual and unsure peers. BSA adolescents reported the highest risk of suicidal ideation (males: adjusted OR (AOR) 2.42, 95% CI 2.03 to 2.88; females: AOR 2.61, 95% CI 2.41 to 2.82) and suicide attempts (males: AOR 3.83, 95% CI 2.85 to 5.14; females: AOR 2.59, 95% CI 2.19 to 3.06).ConclusionsOur study suggested that Chinese sexual minority adolescents were at increased risk of suicidality, and those with BSA had an especially high risk in this population. These findings emphasised the urgent need to develop targeted interventions to effectively address suicide-related problems among Chinese sexual minority adolescents.


2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110283
Author(s):  
Cara Herbitter ◽  
Alyssa L. Norris ◽  
Kimberly M. Nelson ◽  
Lindsay M. Orchowski

Previous research indicates that teen dating violence (TDV) is more common among sexual minority than heterosexual adolescents, with approximately half of female sexual minority adolescents (SMA) endorsing TDV victimization in the last year. In samples of adolescents without regard to sexual orientation, exposure to violent pornography is associated with TDV, but this relationship has not been assessed in female SMA. The current study sample consisted of 10th-grade high school students aged 14–17 who identified as cisgender females ( N = 1,276). Data were collected from a baseline survey prior to the delivery of a sexual assault prevention intervention. Female SMA had 2.54 times the odds (95%CI [1.75, 3.69]) of being exposed to violent pornography and 2.53 times the odds (95%CI [1.72, 3.70)]) of TDV exposure compared to heterosexual girls. Exposure to violent pornography was not associated with involvement in TDV among female SMA, controlling for episodic heavy drinking ( aOR = 2.25, 95%CI [0.88,6.22]). Given the relatively higher rates of violent pornography and TDV exposure among female SMA compared to heterosexual girls, it is critical that sex education curricula address these experiences and meet the needs of adolescents of all sexual orientations. Future research can assess how these TDV interventions might be tailored for female SMA. Although we did not find that exposure to violent pornography was associated with TDV among female SMA, these investigations should be replicated with larger data sets, given that the association between exposure to violent pornography and engagement in TDV was in the expected direction.


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