Department of Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, HHB 460C, 1530 3rd Ave. S., Birmingham, AL 35294-1152, USA.
J Youth Adolesc. 2012 Feb;41(2):179-90. doi: 10.1007/s10964-011-9729-4. Epub 2011 Nov 11.
Previous research suggests that sexual minority youth have poorer health-related outcomes than their heterosexual peers. The purpose of this study is to determine whether sexual orientation disparities in mental health and substance use increase, decrease, or remain the same during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Data are from Waves 1-4 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 8,322; 55% female). Respondents were in grades 7-12 at Wave 1 and aged 24-32 at Wave 4. Latent growth curve modeling is used to compare the mental health and substance use trajectories of youth who consistently report heterosexual attraction versus those who consistently report lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) attraction, those who report a transition to LGB attraction, and those who report a transition to heterosexual attraction. Among women and men, sexual orientation disparities in depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts persist, but do not increase, during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. The same pattern is observed for disparities in smoking, heavy drinking, and marijuana use among women. Among men, disparities in substance use are only observed between those who report consistent heterosexual attraction and those who transition to heterosexual attraction. Disparities between these groups persist over time for heavy drinking and marijuana use but decrease over time for smoking. While this study finds evidence of numerous disparities in mental health and substance use outcomes during adolescence and young adulthood, particularly among young women, there is no indication that these disparities get larger over time.
先前的研究表明，性少数群体青年的健康相关结果比异性恋同龄人差。本研究旨在确定在从青春期到成年的过渡期间，心理健康和物质使用方面的性取向差异是增加、减少还是保持不变。数据来自青少年健康纵向研究的第 1 至 4 波（n=8322；55%为女性）。受访者在第 1 波时处于 7-12 年级，在第 4 波时年龄为 24-32 岁。潜在增长曲线模型用于比较始终报告异性吸引的青少年与始终报告同性恋、双性恋或无性恋（LGB）吸引、报告向 LGB 吸引转变的青少年以及报告向异性恋吸引转变的青少年的心理健康和物质使用轨迹。在女性和男性中，从青春期到成年的过渡期间，抑郁症状和自杀念头的性取向差异持续存在，但并未增加。女性中吸烟、重度饮酒和大麻使用的差异也呈现出同样的模式。在男性中，只有报告持续异性吸引和向异性吸引转变的人群之间存在物质使用差异。这些群体之间的差异在时间上持续存在，尤其是在重度饮酒和大麻使用方面，但在吸烟方面随着时间的推移而减少。虽然本研究发现了青春期和成年早期心理健康和物质使用结果存在诸多差异的证据，尤其是在年轻女性中，但没有迹象表明这些差异随着时间的推移而扩大。
