Evidence-Based Approaches for Sexual Health and Substance Use Problems in Sexual and Gender Minority Youth

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ) youth are at higher risk for various behavioral health issues relative to their heterosexual counterparts, including sexual health outcomes and substance use problems. Despite these well-documented disparities, very little attention has been paid to mitigating these health issues, and few evidence-based interventions that are tailored to the unique needs of LGBTQ youth have been developed to address these problems. However, several newer programs have been developed to address the needs of some specific groups within the LGBTQ youth population (e.g., young gay and bisexual men, transgender women). This chapter reviews the current state of the literature on behavioral interventions for addressing sexual health and substance use in LGBTQ youth. Furthermore, it provides several case examples to illustrate the application of these strategies in clinical settings, and it summarizes gaps in the literature and opportunities for future research.