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.

Ryan J. Watson

Arnold H. Grossman

Stephen T. Russell

Youth & Society

Youth and Society

Sources of Social Support and Mental Health Among LGB Youth

It is 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.

Category	Quartile
社会学	3
社会学, 社会问题	4
社会学, 社会科学跨领域	4
社会学, 社会学	4

Sources of Social Support and Mental Health Among LGB Youth

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