Childhood adversities among sexual minority populations: Evidence of disparity and implications for health research

Mounting evidence reveals that children and youth who do not identify as heterosexual or gender normative (i.e., sexual minority youth) are particular targets of maltreatment. Sexual minority children and youth report significantly elevated rates of adverse events such as school bullying, physical and sexual abuse and assault perpetrated by peers, family members, and strangers. The etiology of elevated childhood adversities among sexual minority youth remains poorly understood. While literature documents disparately higher prevalence of childhood maltreatment, we contend there is a need for critical synthesis and discussion of how childhood maltreatment may inform sexual minority health disparities. We first review the evidence that childhood adversities are associated with long-term toxic effects on health and then present empirical evidence of childhood maltreatment disparities among sexual minority populations. We then discuss the limitations and strengths of two frameworks of sexual minority health disparities (i.e., Minority Stress Model and Syndemic Theory) in integrating the potential impacts of childhood maltreatment on health and developmental trajectories. For example, sexual minority youth may be set on poorer health trajectories by childhood adversities even before they, themselves, actualize their sexual identity (i.e., before experiencing Minority Stress). We close by suggesting future research directions, including areas of etiologic hypotheses to examine possible causes of childhood maltreatment among sexual minority youth. For instance, although somewhat controversial, research with perpetrators may provide particularly salient information about why sexual minority youth may be inordinately targeted for violence, including whether homophobia/heterosexism may play moderating roles in risk of victimization.