Sexual and Gender Minority Sleep Health Disparities and Minority Stress in Early Adolescence

Purpose: Sleep is essential to adolescent development. Sexual and gender minority (SGM; e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) adults are at high risk for poor sleep, partially due to minority stress (e.g., discrimination). However, sleep has rarely been studied among SGM adolescents. In a national sample of early adolescents, we analyzed sexual minority (SM) and gender minority (GM) identity, gender incongruence, and gender nonconformity in association with sleep and tested minority and general stressors as mediators. Methods: We cross-sectionally analyzed data from 10,070 adolescents aged 10-14 in the (duration, latency, and disturbance). We used Baron and Kenny's method to test for mediation. nonconformity had higher odds of long sleep latency and sleep disturbance. Sexual identity Discussion: SGM participants reported poorer sleep. Minority and general social stressors partially accounted for some disparities. Policies need to address SGM identity-based discrimination and and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.