Bullying Obstructs Development of Sexual Minority Youth: Study

 A new study to be published in the "American Journal of Public Health" reveals how the development of sexual minority youth is affected by bullying, Eurekalert reports.

CDC defines sexual minority youth as those who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual or those who have sexual contact with persons of the same or both sexes. Sexual minority youth may often experience stigma, discrimination, family disapproval, social rejection, and violence, depending on the environment they are reared in.

Researchers led by Robert W.S. Coulter, M.P.H., a doctoral student in Pitt Public Health's Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, analyzed data from 1,870 adolescents in American schools and after-school programs in 45 states across the nation. Using the "Five Cs" model, the survey determined positive youth development and assessed competence, confidence, connection, character and caring/compassion. Those who had higher levels of the Five Cs meant that they had positive contributions to society while those who had lower levels were linked to an array of risky behavior, including cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and younger sexual initiation. The survey included a question about whether the participant had been bullied multiple times in the last several months.

Results showed that 127 participants, which amounted to 6.8%, were sexual minority youth, and among these participants, 24% admitted to have fallen victim to bullying. Only 12% of their heterosexual counterparts have reported to be victims of bullying.

According to Science Daily, the sexual minority youth had significantly lower scores than their heterosexual peers in three of the Five Cs, namely, competence, confidence, and connection. Competence pertains to the positive outlook of a person's actions in social, academic, cognitive and vocational areas while confidence is defined as the internal sense of overall positive self-worth. Connection is defined as having a positive and supportive bond with friends, family, school, and community.

However, when researchers controlled for the effects of bullying victimization, there was a decrease in the difference of scores between sexual-minority and heterosexual youths.

"This research quantifies how bullying hinders sexual-minority youths' access to the essential building blocks of health and well-being. Anti-bullying policies at schools are necessary but insufficient," Dr. Coulter commented. "Multifaceted interventions in all arenas, including schools, families and communities, should focus on building more accepting and supportive environments for sexual-minority youth."

"Bullying is only one part of the story. It is one manifestation of more pervasive problems, such as stigma and discrimination," Dr. Coulter explained. "We need to take a holistic approach to positive youth development and create evidence-based programs that bring about a cultural change, allowing all youths, regardless of their sexual orientation, the same opportunity to thrive."

About one in four or one in three American students report to have been bullied at school, the US Department of Health & Human Services reports, and most bullying is reportedly occurring in middle school, where such abuse occurs through verbal and social bullying.