LESBIAN, GAY, AND BISEXUAL YOUTH IN COMMUNITY SETTINGS - PERSONAL CHALLENGES AND MENTAL-HEALTH PROBLEMS

Studied 194 lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth aged 21 and younger who a ttended programs in 14 community centers to determine the personal cha llenges they face due to their sexual orientation and their responses to these stresses. First awareness of sexual orientation typically occ urred at age 10, but disclosure to another person did not occur until about age 16. There was much variability in sexual behavior, and many youths reported both same-sex and opposite-sex sexual experiences. Alt hough most had told at least one family member about their sexual orie ntation, there remained much concern about family reactions. Suicide a ttempts were acknowledged by 42% of the sample. Attempters significant ly differed from nonattempters on several milestones of sexual orienta tion development, social aspects of sexual orientation, parents' knowl edge of sexual orientation, and mental health problems.