Bibliometric analysis of peer-reviewed literature on mental health and well-being of LGBT adolescents

Abstract

PurposeThe lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people face discrimination, verbal harassment, rejection and physical violence that affect their mental health and well-being. Adolescence is a critical period for the development of mental health and well-being. The purpose of this study is to analyze research publications on the mental health and well-being of LGBT adolescents.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive research strategy was implemented using the SciVerse Scopus database to accomplish the objective of the study. The study period was all times up to 2020. VOS viewer program was used for mapping of frequent author keywords, journal citations and research collaboration.FindingsThe search strategy found 1,167 documents authored by 4,067 researchers and disseminated through 321 scientific journals. Research on the topic started half a century ago but showed a visible steep growth after 2008. Authors and institutions in the USA dominated the field. Northwestern University, based in the USA, was the most active institution. No significant cross-country collaboration was observed in this field. The most active journal was Journal of Adolescent Health (n = 67, 5.7%), followed distantly by the Journal of LGBT Youth (n = 48, 4.1%). The contribution of journals in the field of mental health to the topic was limited. Documents on family acceptance, suicidality and school victimization/violence received the highest number of citations. The retrieved documents in the field had five major topics: suicide, mental health/depression, bullying/victimization, substance use/alcohol and violence.Research limitations/implicationsThe present study has a few limitations that are typical of any bibliometric study. Both the search strategy and the use of Scopus are inherent limitations of bibliometric studies.Practical implicationsPolicymakers and public health experts in various countries need to prioritize research on the mental health and well-being of LGBT adolescents based on the number of publications produced by the country. The finding that certain world regions have limited research contribution does not mean the absence of mental health problems of LGBT adolescents.Social implicationsThe limited number of scholars in the field of sexual health, the cultural barriers are the main obstacles for publishing in this field. Research on LGBT adolescents’ mental health and well-being should be prioritized in countries and world regions with limited research in this field. Therefore, journal editors should endorse publications in this field through publishing thematic issues in this field.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to assess the scientific research publications on the mental health of the LGBT people as an indication of interest and social problems facing this community.