Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Mental Health, and Bullying as Predictors of Partner Violence in a Representative Sample of Youth

• Published in: Journal of adolescent health Vol. 64; no. 1; pp. 86 - 92
• Main Authors: Walls, N. Eugene, Atteberry-Ash, Brittanie, Kattari, Shanna K., Peitzmeier, Sarah, Kattari, Leo, Langenderfer-Magruder, Lisa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Bisexuality; Bullying; Bullying - psychology; Bullying - statistics & numerical data; Cisgender; Colorado - epidemiology; Depression; Domestic violence; Female; Gender Identity; Heterosexuality; Heterosexuality - psychology; Heterosexuality - statistics & numerical data; Homosexuality; Humans; Intersectionality; Intimate partner violence; Intimate Partner Violence - statistics & numerical data; Lesbianism; LGBTQ people; Male; Mental depression; Mental health; Mental Health - statistics & numerical data; Partner violence; Peers; Prevalence; Prevention programs; Risk; Risk Factors; Secondary school students; Secondary schools; Self destructive behavior; Sexual and Gender Minorities - psychology; Sexual and Gender Minorities - statistics & numerical data; Sexual behavior; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Sexual orientation; Sexuality; Suicide; Transgender persons; Victimization; Youth; Colorado; Bullying; Depression; Partner violence; Sexual orientation; Gender identity; Suicide
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.08.011
• ISSN: 1054-139X

Partner violence (PV) is prevalent among US adolescents, though little is known about its prevalence and correlates across gender identities and sexual orientations. Existing research has frequently placed lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB), questioning, and transgender adolescents in the same category, obscuring potential differences in risk of PV. This study (N = 9,352) uses the 2015 Healthy Kids Colorado Study, a statewide representative survey, to explore how sexual orientation and gender identity are associated with PV victimization among high-school youth, and whether there is a relationship between mental health and bullying victimization and PV. Out of all youth who dated in the past year, 9.4% reported experiencing past-year PV. Compared to their cisgender heterosexual peers, cisgender LGB youth (AOR = 1.48 [1.17, 1.86]) and cisgender questioning youth (AOR = 1.68 [1.13, 2.48]) had elevated risk of experiencing PV. Transgender youth, particularly those who are both transgender and LGB (AOR = 3.25 [2.02, 5.22]) or transgender and questioning their sexual orientation (AOR = 8.57 [4.28, 17.16]), had the highest risk of PV. Depressive symptoms (AOR = 1.99 [1.67, 2.37]), suicidality (AOR = 1.83 [1.62, 2.06]), bullying victimization (AOR = 1.58 [1.31, 1.91]), and online bullying victimization (AOR = 1.98 [1.62, 2.06]) were associated with PV. LGB, questioning and transgender high school students are at elevated risk of PV, with the highest risk among those who are both LGB and transgender. Adolescents who report PV are also more likely to be struggling with bullying, depression, and suicidality. PV prevention and response interventions should use intersectional approaches responsive to the unique needs of LGBT youth.