Experiences of stress and social safety among sexual and gender minority youth by disability status

Background: Though separate bodies of research have shown sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth, and youth with disabilities, separately, face distinct social and health disparities, little is known about youth who both identify as SGM and have disabilities. Objective: The current study examined differences in wellbeing among SGM youth by disability category (i.e., physical, developmental, psychiatric) across victimization, bullying, dating violence, school safety, and experienced stress. Methods: Using self-reported data from 9418 SGM youth aged 13-17 in the United States, multivariate linear regressions were conducted to examine how stress and social safety experiences varied across disability status. Results: Compared to SGM youth without a disability, SGM youth across all disability categories (physical, developmental, psychiatric) had greater odds of LGBT- and disability-based victimization, greater average stress, as well as lower levels of school safety. SGM youth with any disability, physical disability, or psychiatric disability also had greater odds of dating violence compared to SGM youth without a disability. Conclusion: SGM youth with disabilities may be in particular need of targeted programs that address both disability and sexual/gender identities, and may benefit from increased supports across developmental contexts (e.g., against bullying in school). Stakeholders should consider how such support can be improved, tailored, and implemented, for SGM youth and the diversity of disabilities they have.