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Early Timing and Determinants of the Sexual Orientation Disparity in Internalizing Psychopathology: A Prospective

John E Pachankis1, Kirsty A Clark2, Daniel N Klein3

  • 1Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA. john.pachankis@yale.edu.

Journal of Youth and Adolescence
|November 3, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Same-sex-attracted youth experience depression and anxiety disparities starting at ages 12 and 15, respectively. Peer victimization and poor mother-child relationships are key early factors contributing to these mental health differences.

Area of Science:

  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Mental Health Disparities

Background:

  • Sexual orientation disparities in mental health, particularly depression and anxiety, emerge during childhood and adolescence.
  • Understanding the developmental timing and early determinants of these disparities is crucial for timely interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the age of onset for sexual orientation disparities in depression and anxiety symptoms among youth.
  • To investigate whether peer victimization and parental relationship quality mediate these disparities.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study of 417 children aged 3-15 and their parents.
  • Assessment of depression and anxiety symptoms, peer victimization, and parent-child relationship quality.
  • Statistical mediation analyses to examine early determinants.

Main Results:

  • Same-sex-attracted youth reported significantly higher depression symptoms at age 12 and anxiety symptoms at age 15 compared to exclusively other-sex-attracted youth.
  • Peer victimization at age 12 mediated the sexual orientation disparity in depression symptoms at age 15.
  • A poor mother-child relationship at age 12 mediated the sexual orientation disparity in anxiety symptoms at age 15.

Conclusions:

  • Sexual orientation disparities in youth depression and anxiety emerge in early adolescence.
  • Peer victimization and poor parent-child relationships are significant early mediators of these mental health disparities.
  • Findings highlight the need for developmentally tailored interventions to mitigate social stressors impacting vulnerable youth.

Keywords:
Developmental psychopathologyDisparitiesLesbian, gay, and bisexualMental healthMinority stressSexual orientation

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