Associations Between Verbal and Physical Abuse in the Home and Mental Health Indicators Among Heterosexual and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Questioning High School Students in the US—Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, 2021

Abstract

PurposeA number of factors may contribute to disparities in mental health and suicidality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) students, including parental abuse. MethodsThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey included a nationally representative sample of US high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current analyses examined experiences of verbal and physical abuse in the home with mental health and suicidality among LGBQ students compared to heterosexual students. ResultsThe relationship between abuse and mental health and suicidality was significant for all students; however, LGBQ students experienced substantially more abuse and had significantly poorer mental health and greater suicidality than heterosexual students. DiscussionExperiencing verbal or physical abuse in the home is strongly associated with poor mental health and suicidality among youth, regardless of sexual identity; however, among LGBQ students who experienced abuse, the prevalence of poor mental health and suicidality reached crisis levels.