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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Eric R. Wright, PhD, Sociology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Cavanaugh Hall 303, 425 University Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46202, (317) 274-8589, ewright@iupui.edu and Robert Connoley, PhD, Indiana Youth Group, Inc., P.O. Box 20716, Indianapolis, IN 46220.
Numerous studies indicate that gay, lesbian, and bisexual (g/l/b) youth experience high levels of psychological distress and/or suicidal ideation due to the societal stigma of homosexuality. Youth and community activities have argued for the importance of support groups for youth to help them through the coming out process. While anecdotal evidence indicates that these groups are often helpful to individuals, few studies have examined systematically the effectiveness of these programs in reducing psychological distress. This paper presents findings from a study of 100 g/l/b youth who participated in the Indiana Youth Group (IYG) for a six to twelve month period. Using the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised, a clinically validated and widely used measure, the relationship between patterns of program participation and changes in the young people's psychological distress are examined. Findings indicate that overall psychological distress decreased over the follow-up period, with the greatest improvements being observed in depressive and anxiety-related symptoms. Multivariate analyses highlight further that more active program participation is related to significant improvements in the youth's overall mental health status. The analyses emphasize, however, that the effect is indirect, through the changes participation brings about in the young people's personal support networks. That is, program participation appears to increase the number of g/l/b people in the young people's support network which in turn reduces psychological distress. The implications for designing managing effective youth support programs to improve the mental health of g/l/b youth are discussed.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Youth, Gay
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.