Mental Health in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Youth

Abstract

Today's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth come out at younger ages, and public support for LGBT issues has dramatically increased, so why do LGBT youth continue to be at high risk for compromised mental health? We provide an overview of the contemporary context for LGBT youth, followed by a review of current science on LGBT youth mental health. Research in the past decade has identified risk and protective factors for mental health, which point to promising directions for prevention, intervention, and treatment. Legal and policy successes have set the stage for advances in programs and practices that may foster LGBT youth mental health. Implications for clinical care are discussed, and important areas for new research and practice are identified.

Keywords: LGBT; gender identity; sexual orientation; youth.

Figures

Figure 1

Historical trends in societal attitudes, age trends in peer attitudes, and the decline in ages at which lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth come out. Circles (with associated publication references) indicate approximate average ages of first disclosure in samples of LGB youth at the associated historical time when the studies were conducted.

Figure 2

Conceptual model of contextual influences on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth mental health and associated implications for policies, programs, and practice. The arrow along the bottom of the figure indicates the historically changing nature of the contexts of youth’s lives. Diagonal arrows acknowledge interactions across contexts, thus recognizing opportunities for promoting LGBT youth mental health at policy, community, and clinical practice levels.