Sexual Orientation-Based Victimization and Internalized Homonegativity Among Latinx Sexual Minority Youth: The Moderating Effects of Social Support and School Level

ABSTRACT

Latinx sexual minority adolescents and young adults experience sexual orientation-based victimization at school and may internalize these heterosexist experiences. However, social support may buffer the deleterious contributions of sexual orientation-based victimization. The current study explored associations between sexual orientation-based victimization and internalized homonegativity in different social contexts (family, peer, school adult) and across development (high school versus college) among 238 Latinx sexual minority adolescents and young adults (M = 19.03, SD = 2.28). Results indicated that sexual orientation-based victimization was positively associated with internalized homonegativity among Latinx sexual minority adolescents and young adults. Such associations were moderated by family support and the school level in the family context, such that in high school, family support exacerbated the association between sexual orientation-based victimization and internalized homonegativity. Yet, in college, family support mitigated that association. Findings also indicated that peer support exacerbated the association between sexual orientation-based victimization and internalized homonegativity in high school and college. No moderation of school adult support emerged in the context of school adults. Findings support the application of the minority stress model in Latinx sexual minority adolescents and young adults and highlight the complex moderating effect of social support across social contexts and development.

KEYWORDS:

• Sexual orientation
• Latinx adolescents and young adults
• victimization
• internalized homonegativity
• social support

Acknowledgments

We thank the young people who participated in the study. We also thank the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) for their assistance with participant recruitment. [The study was approved by GLSEN’s Research Ethics Review Committee for promotion by GLSEN]. Support for this project was provided by a Loan Repayment Award by the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (L60 MD008862; Toomey).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Loan Repayment Award by theNational Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities [L60 MD008862; Russell B. Toomey].