Frequencies and patterns of adverse childhood events in LGBTQ+ youth

Shelley L Craig; Ashley Austin; Jill Levenson; Vivian W Y Leung; Andrew D Eaton; Sandra A D'Souza

doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104623

Frequencies and patterns of adverse childhood events in LGBTQ+ youth

Child Abuse Negl. 2020 Sep:107:104623. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104623. Epub 2020 Jul 16.

Authors

Shelley L Craig¹, Ashley Austin², Jill Levenson³, Vivian W Y Leung⁴, Andrew D Eaton⁵, Sandra A D'Souza⁶

Affiliations

¹ Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor St. W., Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada. Electronic address: shelley.craig@utoronto.ca.
² Ellen Whiteside McDonnell Faculty of Social Work, Barry University, 11300 NE 2nd Ave., Miami Shores, FL, 33161-6695, USA. Electronic address: aaustin@barry.edu.
³ Ellen Whiteside McDonnell Faculty of Social Work, Barry University, 11300 NE 2nd Ave., Miami Shores, FL, 33161-6695, USA. Electronic address: jlevenson@barry.edu.
⁴ Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor St. W., Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada. Electronic address: wingyeung.leung@utoronto.ca.
⁵ Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor St. W., Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada. Electronic address: andrew.eaton@utoronto.ca.
⁶ Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor St. W., Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada. Electronic address: sandraa.dsouza@mail.utoronto.ca.

PMID: 32682145
DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104623

Abstract

Background: Trauma, specifically adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), predicts significant health and mental health disparities, yet there is a paucity of research with LGBTQ + youth.

Objective: This study explored ACE prevalence in a large sample of LGBTQ+ youth; examined ACE patterns within and across subgroups; and compared results with the general population.

Participants and setting: Participant (n = 3,508) ages ranged between 14-18 (x̄ = 16.02) and represented a range of sexual orientations: pansexual (33.9 %), bisexual (26.6 %), and queer (16.2 %), and gender identities: female (39.9 %), non-conforming (38 %), male (14.9 %), and transgender (16.6 %).

Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted with LGBTQ+ youth ages 14-18 that self-identified as LGBTQ+ and resided in the US or Canada. Descriptive statistics generated the prevalence of ACEs, and ANOVAs and post-hoc tests were run for comparisons.

Results: Participants reported multiple ACEs (M = 3.14, SD = 2.44) with emotional neglect (58 %), emotional abuse (56 %), and living with a family member with mental illness (51 %) as the most prevalent. Notably, 43 % of participants experienced 4+ ACEs, considered to be a high level of trauma exposure. Compared to national samples, LGBTQ + youth demonstrated unique patterns of ACEs and were higher in 9 of 10 categories. Significantly high (all p < .001) ACEs were found in pansexual (t = 7.67), transgender and gender non-conforming (t = 5.19), American-Indian (t = 6.42), Latinx (t = 2.83) and rural youth (F = 12.12) while those with highly educated parents (F = 83.30, p < .001), lived with a parent (t = 6.02), and in Canada (t = 6.14) reported fewer ACEs.

Conclusion: LGBTQ+ youth experience significant childhood trauma with potential impact on their mental health. This study identifies implications for trauma-informed practice and research.

Keywords: ACEs; Abuse; Adverse childhood experiences; Bisexual, Transgender and Queer youth; Gay; Lesbian; Minority stress; Pansexual; Trauma.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Adverse Childhood Experiences / psychology*
Adverse Childhood Experiences / trends*
Canada / epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Mental Disorders / diagnosis
Mental Disorders / epidemiology
Mental Disorders / psychology
Mental Health / trends*
Sexual and Gender Minorities / psychology*
Surveys and Questionnaires*
United States / epidemiology
Young Adult