Relationship Trajectories and Psychological Well-being Among Sexual Minority Youth

Overview

Journal J Youth Adolesc

Specialties Pediatrics
Psychology
Social Sciences

Date 2010 Jun 11

PMID 20535536

Citations 45

Authors

Jose A Bauermeister

Michelle Marie Johns

Theo G M Sandfort

Anna Eisenberg

Arnold H Grossman

Anthony R DAugelli

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Dating in adolescence plays an integral part in the development of sexual and social identities. This process is particularly salient for sexual minority youth who face additional obstacles to their identity formation due to their marginalized status. We investigated the influence of participating in a same-sex relationship (SSR) or an opposite-sex relationship (OSR) on sexual minority youths' psychological well-being (i.e., symptoms of depression, anxiety and internalized homophobia, and self-esteem) in an ethnically-diverse sample of 350 youth (55% male) between the ages of 15-19 years, recruited from three GLBT drop-in centers in the New York City area. Using longitudinal data, we examined youths' SSR and OSR over time. Multivariate regression analyses suggest that involvement in a SSR was positively associated with changes in self-esteem in males, and negatively correlated with changes in internalized homophobia in females. We discuss the implications for positive development in sexual minority adolescent populations.

Citing Articles

Prevalence, severity and risk factors for mental disorders among sexual and gender minority young people: a systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

OShea J, Jenkins R, Nicholls D, Downs J, Hudson L Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2024; 34(3):959-982.

PMID: 39141104 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-024-02552-1.

Timing to a first relationship among youth: Variability by sexual orientation development.

Mernitz S, Hsu J, Bishop M J Soc Pers Relat. 2024; 40(11):3703-3722.

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Minority Stress and Intimate Partner Violence among Sexual and Gender Minorities assigned Female at Birth.

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Sleep and Socioemotional Outcomes Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study.

Wong M, Nagata J, Barreto M Arch Sex Behav. 2023; 53(2):543-553.

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Understanding Attraction, Behavior, and Identity in the Asexual Community.

Doremus C, Jones M, Angelone D Arch Sex Behav. 2022; 52(3):1255-1270.

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