12/29/2008
STUDY: Parents' Influence Huge in Gay Youth Suicide, Mental Health
How parents react to new of their child's sexual orientation has a huge impact on the chances that child might commit suicide, experience depression, or use drugs, a new study reveals.
Among the findings:
"...the study showed that teens who experienced negative feedback were more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide, nearly six times as vulnerable to severe depression and more than three times at risk of drug use."
"One of the most startling findings was that being forbidden to associate with gay peers was as damaging as being physically beaten or verbally abused by their parents in terms of negative feedback, [social worker Caitlin] Ryan said."
Here's how the study was done:
"In the two-part study, Ryan and her colleagues first interviewed 53 families with gay teenagers to identify 106 specific behaviors that could be considered 'accepting' or 'rejecting.' For example, blaming a youth for being bullied at school, shielding him from other relatives or belittling her appearance for not conforming to social expectations fell into the rejecting category. Next, they surveyed 224 white and Latino gay people between ages 21 and 25 to see which of the behaviors they had experienced growing up. The responses then were matched against the participants' recent histories of severe depression, suicide attempts, substance abuse and unsafe sexual behavior. While the results might seem intuitive, Ryan said the study, funded by the California Endowment, was the first to establish a link between health problems in gay youths and their home environments."
AFTER THE JUMP, Trevor, a film ALWAYS worth revisiting.
Visit The Trevor Project HERE.
Posted 8:23 AM EST by Andy Towle in Gay Youth, News | Permalink
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Can't believe I hadn't seen this wonderful short film before. It's only sad that so many teens don't get a second chance when they decide to end their lives.
Posted by: sparks | Dec 29, 2008 9:16:26 AM
Excellent! Both painful and funny to watch.
Posted by: nikko | Dec 29, 2008 11:17:34 AM
Point of note is the upcoming TV movie "Prayers for Bobby"(on Lifetime I think)about a religous mother who does not accept her gay son. He then commits suicide and then she has a change of heart. Acceptance by family and peers definetly decreases the rate of suicide. Acceptance is a healthier outcome.
Posted by: Carl - Michigan | Dec 29, 2008 12:12:01 PM
As usual, Dan Savage has a nice take on this study:http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/homo/
Posted by: Yeek | Dec 29, 2008 12:44:26 PM
God bless Brett Barsky! A funny, fearless performance that should be a landmark in gay cinema. (He helped this short win the Oscar.)
Posted by: Dback | Dec 29, 2008 2:08:51 PM
Haterosexual overlords doing what they do best; causing trouble.
Posted by: Bill | Dec 29, 2008 2:10:36 PM
And learning that the New Messiah er President thinks you're just an "issue" rather than a human being whose rights and dignity are JUST as important as his own people's so he invites a smilefucking shithead Board Member of the Antigay Industry to publicly pray for him can't be good either.
Posted by: Leland Frances | Dec 29, 2008 2:49:58 PM
I had a chance to interview Sigourney Weaver at the Trevor Project's holiday fundraiser, and it suprised me how candid she was talking about her own experiences growing up. I think on some level everyone can relate to a child in need. We've all been there at some point.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KIxfO2cj1UE
Dave
Posted by: Dave | Dec 29, 2008 5:13:46 PM
The results "might seem intuitive"? Oh gosh no, not at all.
What a waste of resources. Shitty parents of any type cause problems in their kids. Do we really need studies to verify that?
Posted by: Paul R | Dec 29, 2008 5:16:38 PM
The Trevor Project operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. Every day, The Trevor Project saves lives though its free and confidential helpline, its website and its educational services.
Posted by: Anon | Dec 29, 2008 7:06:21 PM
Yes, Paul, we do. Otherwise we end up having to defend these "intuitive" causal factors against idiots who claim "there's no research suggesting harm is done to children" when their parents are homophobic asshats.
Posted by: Brent | Dec 30, 2008 10:43:13 AM