Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Depression, Anxiety, and Interest in Mental Health Resources in School-Based Gender-Sexuality Alliances: Implications for Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Health Promotion

  • Published:
Prevention Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Schools can be a setting to address mental health needs of sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth. Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs), as extracurricular support groups, provide an existing structure that could be leveraged to reach SGM youth and deliver services. Nevertheless, limited data indicate the prevalence of depression and anxiety among GSA members, how often GSAs discuss mental health, or their receptivity to resources. Participants in the current study were 580 youth (Mage = 15.59; 79% sexual minority, 57% cisgender female; 68% White) and 58 advisors in 38 GSAs purposively sampled across Massachusetts. Youth completed established measures of depression and anxiety; advisors reported how frequently their GSAs discussed mental health; and both reported their interest in mental health materials. Among youth, 70.1% scored above the threshold indicating probable mild depression, and 34.4% scored above the threshold suggesting concerning anxiety. Adjusted odds ratios indicated that the odds of depression and anxiety were higher for SGM members relative to heterosexual and cisgender members, particularly among youth reporting SGM identities that have been underrepresented. GSAs discussed mental health with some frequency over the school year. Youth and advisors expressed strong interest in resources. Findings support the case for developing selective and indicated school-based prevention programming for youth in GSAs to address their mental health needs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Avenevoli, S., Swendsen, J., He, J. P., Burstein, M., & Merikangas, K. R. (2015). Major depression in the national comorbidity survey–adolescent supplement: Prevalence, correlates, and treatment. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 54, 37–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becerra-Culqui, T. A., Liu, Y., Nash, R., Cromwell, L., Flanders, W. D., Getahun, D., et al. (2018). Mental health of transgender and gender nonconforming youth compared with their peers. Pediatrics, 141, e20173845.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T., & Steer, R. A. (1993). BAI: Beck anxiety inventory manual. San Antonio: Harcourt Brace and Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). School health profiles 2018: Characteristics of health programs among secondary schools. Atlanta: Authors.

    Google Scholar 

  • Day, J. K., Fish, J. N., Grossman, A. H., & Russell, S. T. (2020). Gay-straight alliances, inclusive policy, and school climate: LGBTQ youths’ experiences of social support and bullying. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 30, 418–430.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griffin, P., Lee, C., Waugh, J., & Beyer, C. (2004). Describing roles that gay-straight alliances play in schools: From individual support to school change. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Issues in Education, 1, 7–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hankin, B. L., Abramson, L. Y., Moffitt, T. E., Silva, P. A., McGee, R., & Angell, K. E. (1998). Development of depression from preadolescence to young adulthood: Emerging gender differences in a 10-year longitudinal study. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 107, 128.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heck, N. C. (2015). The potential to promote resilience: Piloting a minority stress-informed, GSA-based, mental health promotion program for LGBTQ youth. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 2, 225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heck, N. C., Livingston, N. A., Flentje, A., Oost, K., Stewart, B. T., & Cochran, B. N. (2014). Reducing risk for illicit drug use and prescription drug misuse: High school gay-straight alliances and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. Addictive Behaviors, 39, 824–828.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, N. D., Freeman, K., & Swann, S. (2009). Healthcare preferences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45, 222–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johns, M. M., Poteat, V. P., Horn, S. S., & Kosciw, J. (2019). Strengthening our schools to promote resilience and health among LGBTQ youth: Emerging evidence and research priorities from The State of LGBTQ Youth Health and Wellbeing Symposium. LGBT Health, 6, 146–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Avenevoli, S., Costello, E. J., Georgiades, K., Green, J. G., Gruber, M. J., et al. (2012). Prevalence, persistence, and sociodemographic correlates of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement. Archives of General Psychiatry, 69, 372–380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lapointe, A., Dunlop, C., & Crooks, C. (2018). Feasibility and fit of a mental health promotion program for LGBTQ+ youth. Journal of Youth Development, 13, 100–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lapointe, A. A. (2015). Standing “straight” up to homophobia: Straight allies’ involvement in GSAs. Journal of LGBT Youth, 12, 144–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lapointe, A. A. (2017). “It’s not pans, it’s people”: Student and teacher perspectives on bisexuality and pansexuality. Journal of Bisexuality, 17, 88–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lefevor, G. T., Boyd-Rogers, C. C., Sprague, B. M., & Janis, R. A. (2019). Health disparities between genderqueer, transgender, and cisgender individuals: An extension of minority stress theory. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 66, 385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lesaffre, E., & Albert, A. (1989). Partial separation in logistic discrimination. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series B: Methodological, 51, 109–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshal, M. P., Dietz, L. J., Friedman, M. S., Stall, R., Smith, H. A., McGinley, J., et al. (2011). Suicidality and depression disparities between sexual minority and heterosexual youth: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Adolescent Health, 49, 115–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merikangas, K. R., He, J. P., Brody, D., Fisher, P. W., Bourdon, K., & Koretz, D. S. (2010). Prevalence and treatment of mental disorders among US children in the 2001-2004 NHANES. Pediatrics, 125, 75–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129, 674–697.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miceli, M. (2005). Standing out, standing together: The social and political impact of Gay-Straight Alliances. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mrazek, P. J., & Haggerty, R. J. (Eds.). (1994). Reducing risks for mental disorders: Frontiers for preventive intervention research. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

  • Mustanski, B. (2011). Ethical and regulatory issues with conducting sexuality research with LGBT adolescents: A call to action for a scientifically informed approach. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 40, 673–686.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mustanski, B. S., Garofalo, R., & Emerson, E. M. (2010). Mental health disorders, psychological distress, and suicidality in a diverse sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youths. American Journal of Public Health, 100, 2426–2432.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (2017). Mplus user’s guide (8th ed.). Los Angeles: Authors.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olson, J. O., Schrager, S. M., Belzer, M., Simons, L. K., & Clark, L. F. (2015). Baseline physiologic and psychosocial characteristics of transgender youth seeking care for gender dysphoria. Journal of Adolescent Health, 57, 374–380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poteat, V. P., Heck, N. C., Yoshikawa, H., & Calzo, J. P. (2017a). Gay-Straight Alliances as settings to discuss health topics: Individual and group factors associated with substance use, mental health, and sexual health discussions. Health Education Research, 32, 258–268.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Poteat, V. P., Sinclair, K. O., DiGiovanni, C. D., Koenig, B. W., & Russell, S. T. (2013). Gay-Straight Alliances are associated with student health: A multischool comparison of LGBTQ and heterosexual youth. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 23, 319–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poteat, V. P., Yoshikawa, H., Calzo, J. P., Russell, S. T., & Horn, S. (2017b). Gay-straight alliances as settings for youth inclusion and development: Future conceptual and methodological directions for research on these and other student groups in schools. Educational Researcher, 46, 508–516.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radloff, L. S. (1991). The use of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in adolescents and young adults. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 20, 149–166.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reisner, S. L., Vetters, R., Leclerc, M., Zaslow, S., Wolfrum, S., Shumer, D., & Mimiaga, M. J. (2015). Mental health of transgender youth in care at an adolescent urban community health center: A matched retrospective cohort study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 56, 274–279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez-Seijas, C., Eaton, N. R., & Pachankis, J. E. (2019). Prevalence of psychiatric disorders at the intersection of race and sexual orientation: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 87, 321–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, L. E., Salway, T., Tarasoff, L. A., MacKay, J. M., Hawkins, B. W., & Fehr, C. P. (2018). Prevalence of depression and anxiety among bisexual people compared to gay, lesbian, and heterosexual individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sex Research, 55, 435–456.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, S. T., & Fish, J. N. (2016). Mental health in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 12, 465–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz-Mette, R. A., & Rose, A. J. (2012). Co-rumination mediates contagion of internalizing symptoms within youths’ friendships. Developmental Psychology, 48, 1355–1365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toomey, R. B., Ryan, C., Diaz, R. M., & Russell, S. T. (2011). High school gay–straight alliances (GSAs) and young adult well-being: An examination of GSA presence, participation, and perceived effectiveness. Applied Developmental Science, 15, 175–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walls, N. E., Kane, S. B., & Wisneski, H. (2010). Gay-straight alliances and school experiences of sexual minority youth. Youth & Society, 41, 307–332.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, R. J., Wheldon, C. W., & Puhl, R. M. (2020). Evidence of diverse identities in a large national sample of sexual and gender minority adolescents. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 30, 431–442.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, K. A., & Chapman, M. V. (2011). Comparing health and mental health needs, service use, and barriers to services among sexual minority youths and their peers. Health & Social Work, 36, 197–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, K. A., & Chapman, M. V. (2015). Mental health service use among youth with mental health need: Do school-based services make a difference for sexual minority youth? School Mental Health, 7, 120–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under award number R01MD009458 (Principal Investigator: Poteat; Co-Investigators: Calzo and Yoshikawa). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Support for Rosenbach was provided through a Predoctoral Interdisciplinary Research Training Fellowship from the Institute of Education Sciences (R305B140037).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Boston College, Newton, USA

    V. Paul Poteat & Michael D. O’Brien

  2. New York University, New York, USA

    Sarah B. Rosenbach & Emily K. Finch

  3. San Diego State University, San Diego, USA

    Jerel P. Calzo

Authors
  1. V. Paul Poteat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael D. O’Brien
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sarah B. Rosenbach
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Emily K. Finch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jerel P. Calzo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. Paul Poteat.

Ethics declarations

All procedures performed in this study, which involved human participants, were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all adults, and informed assent was obtained from all youth participating in the study.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Poteat, V.P., O’Brien, M.D., Rosenbach, S.B. et al. Depression, Anxiety, and Interest in Mental Health Resources in School-Based Gender-Sexuality Alliances: Implications for Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Health Promotion. Prev Sci 22, 237–246 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-020-01196-2

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-020-01196-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation