ERIC Number: EJ1197526
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Jan
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0044-118X
EISSN: N/A
Sources of Social Support and Mental Health among LGB Youth
Watson, Ryan J.; Grossman, Arnold H.; Russell, Stephen T.
Youth & Society, v51 n1 p30-48 Jan 2019
Disparities in psychosocial adjustment have been identified for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth, yet research that explores multiple sources of social support among subgroups of LGB youth is sparse. Social support theory is used as a framework to analyze the ways that different sources of support might promote better psychosocial adjustment for LGB youth. Data from a diverse sample among LGB youth (N = 835) were used to understand how social support from a close friend, teachers, classmates, and parents might be differently associated with depression and self-esteem. We found that parent support and its importance to the participant were consistently related to higher self-esteem and lower depression for all youth, except for lesbians for whom no forms of social support were associated with self-esteem. Teacher and classmate support influenced some subgroups more than others. These results provide parents, clinicians, and schools a roadmap to assist youth navigate supports.
Descriptors: Homosexuality, Sexual Orientation, Sexual Identity, Social Support Groups, Peer Relationship, Teacher Student Relationship, Parent Child Relationship, Depression (Psychology), Self Esteem, Psychological Patterns, College Students, Measures (Individuals), Self Concept Measures, Youth
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2814
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF); National Institute of Mental Health (DHHS/NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Beck Depression Inventory; Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale
Grant or Contract Numbers: DGE1143953; R01MH091212