The Role of Online Social Dynamics in the Mental Health Disparities Between Both-, Same- and Other-Sex Attracted Youth

Abstract

Sexually diverse youth consistently report worse mental health outcomes than other-sex attracted youth. From a sexual minority stress perspective, the current study focused on the explanatory nature of online peer victimization in this mental health discrepancy, and whether online social support could influence this relationship. Exploratively, we researched within-group differences in the sexually diverse population, comparing both-sex with same-sex attracted youth. We used a cross-sectional, nationally representative sample of 5241 Dutch secondary school students, aged 11 to 17 (M = 14.4, SD = 1.33), from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) Netherlands study from 2021. Sexually diverse youth reported more mental health problems than other-sex attracted youth, partially explained by a greater exposure to online peer victimization among sexually diverse youth. Online social support did not significantly buffer (i.e., moderate) the influence of online peer victimization on mental health problems. In the second analysis, both-sex attracted youth reported more mental health problems than same-sex attracted youth, but online peer victimization did not significantly account for this relationship. Adding to research on the sexual minority stress theory, the current study identifies online peer victimization as minority stressor, and calls for increased attention for the diversity in experiences within the sexually diverse population.