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Bullying and Peer Victimization of Minority Youth: Intersections of Sexual Identity and Race/Ethnicity
Author(s) -
Jackman Kasey,
Kreuze Elizabeth J.,
Caceres Billy A.,
Schnall Rebecca
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/josh.12883
Subject(s) - sexual minority , peer victimization , ethnic group , lesbian , psychology , sexual identity , sexual orientation , transgender , psychological intervention , poison control , peer group , suicide prevention , human sexuality , social psychology , medicine , gender studies , sociology , psychiatry , environmental health , anthropology , psychoanalysis
BACKGROUND Youth with multiple minority identities, such as those who are both sexual minority (eg, lesbian, gay, bisexual) and racial/ethnic minority (eg, Black, Latino) may be at increased risk for bullying and peer victimization. METHODS Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance data (2011‐2017) were analyzed (N = 114,881; 50.8% girls; mean age = 15.7 years, SD = 0.03). We used chi‐square tests and sex‐stratified multiple linear regression models to examine sexual identity and racial/ethnic differences and the intersection between sexual identity and race/ethnicity across 3 forms of bullying and peer victimization, co‐occurrence of traditional and electronic bullying, and any type of bullying or peer victimization. RESULTS Sexual minority youth reported higher odds of bullying and peer victimization than heterosexual youth. White youth reported higher odds of bullying than racial/ethnic minority youth. In intersectional analyses, all sexual minority and racial/ethnic minority boys, and bisexual racial/ethnic minority girls were at higher risk for bullying and peer victimization compared to heterosexual peers of the same race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS This study of a large diverse sample of youth advances our understanding of vulnerability to bullying and peer victimization among youth with multiple minority identities. This research can inform policy initiatives and interventions to prevent peer victimization of vulnerable youth.