Bullying Victimization and Mental Health Among Canadian Gender and Sexually Diverse Youth: A Replication and Expansion of Previous Studies

Abstract

Gender and sexually diverse youth disproportionately experience bullying and emotional problems. However, small samples and limited intersectional research have hindered our understanding of this vulnerable population. In the present study, the moderating role of gender identity and sexual orientation in the relation between bullying victimization and emotional problems was examined in a large sample of Grade 7–12 Canadian students drawn from the Health and Peer Relations Study (N = 6,824; racial/ethnic minority = 38.7%; sexually diverse = 29.8%; gender diverse = 5.3%). Controlling for race/ethnicity and grade, there was no three-way interaction among bullying, gender identity, and sexual orientation, nor a two-way interaction between bullying and gender identity. However, a significant bullying by sexual orientation interaction emerged, wherein bullied sexually diverse youth reported more emotional problems than their non-bullied sexually diverse peers and bullied straight youth. A gender identity by sexual orientation interaction was also found where sexually diverse girls had worse mental health compared to sexually diverse boys and sexually-gender diverse youth endorsed more emotional problems than sexually diverse girls and boys. Overall, sexually diverse youth who were bullied by their peers and gender diverse youth, particularly those identifying as sexually diverse, reported significant mental health challenges. These results support minority stress and intersectionality models and highlight the need for anti-bullying and mental health initiatives. Future research should further explore intersectional variations and contextual factors contributing to these disparities.