An Ecological Systems Comparison Between Homeless Sexual Minority Youths and Homeless Heterosexual Youths

ABSTRACT

This study examined risk and protective outcomes by comparing homeless sexual minority youths to heterosexual homeless youths regarding family, peer behaviors, school, mental health, stigma, discrimination, substance use, and sexual risk behaviors. Structured interviews (N = 147) were conducted with individuals aged 16 to 24 years old in Toronto. Bivariate analyses indicated statistically significant differences between homeless sexual minorities (n = 66) and their heterosexual counterparts (n = 81) regarding all variables: family, peer behaviors, stigma, discrimination, mental health, substance use, and sexual risk behaviors, with the exception of school belonging. Implications for future research are suggested.

KEYWORDS:

• Gay
• lesbian
• bisexual
• transgender
• homeless
• mental health
• substance use
• sexual behavior
• stigma
• discrimination
• family
• school
• ecological systems theory

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This study was funded by Canada-U.S. Fulbright, Chancellor's Graduate Fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, by the International Dissertation Award at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, and grant 1UL1RR025011 from the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program of the National Center for Research Resources, National Institute of Health. Special thanks for support throughout the study to Drs. Wendy Auslander, Stephen Gaetz, Renee Cunningham-Williams, Nancy Morrow-Howell, Juan Peña, Ed Spitznagel Jr., Aron Shlonsky, and Bradley Stoner. Also, thanks to Drs. Stephanie Robert and Tracy Schroepfer and Laura Hogan, as well as anonymous reviewers for reviewing drafts of this manuscript.

The data analysis for this article was generated using SAS software. Copyright, SAS Institute Inc. SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.

Notes

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