Mental Health Disparities Between Both-, Other- and Same-Sex Attracted Adolescents: The Role of Bullying Victimization, Gender and Age

Abstract

Research shows that both-sex attracted adults have poorer mental health than other- and same-sex attracted adults, but evidence regarding whether similar disparities exist among adolescents remains limited. To investigate this, the current study examines differences in life satisfaction and emotional problems between both-, other- and same-sex attracted adolescents. It also studies whether bullying victimization can explain these differences and whether the associations vary by gender and age. Cross-sectional data from the nationally-representative Dutch Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted in 2017 and 2021 were analyzed, including 11,683 adolescents (Mage = 14.7, SD = 1.60; 49.7% girls). Both-sex attracted adolescents (n = 507, 4.3%) report lower life satisfaction and more emotional problems than their other- (n = 10,930, 93.6%) and same-sex attracted peers (n = 246, 2.1%). Bullying victimization partially explains the mental health disparities between both- and other-sex attracted adolescents, yet does not account for differences between both- and same-sex attracted peers. The links between romantic attraction and mental health outcomes were similar across gender and age, but differences existed concerning bullying victimization. The results suggest that both-sex attracted adolescents are a unique group that deserves special attention in the literature on mental health disparities.