A Longitudinal Study of Social Support and Mental Health Among LGBT Transitional Aged Foster Youth

Background and Purpose.Transitional aged foster youth often experienced challenges such as trauma, abuse, and familial loss that increase a risk for negative outcomes in mental health (Cook et al., 2007; Hass & Graydon, 2009). Further, there has been a growing concern on psychological distress experienced by individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) (Puckett et al., 2015). While research has been conducted on mental health and social support of LGBT youths, there is currently a gap in the research of social support and mental health among transitional aged foster youth who identify as LGBT. The aim of the current study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between sexual orientation, perceived social support, and mental health outcomes among transitional aged foster youth.

Method. This longitudinal study was a secondary analysis of the data gathered from the Multi-Site Evaluation of Foster Youth Programs, Chafee Independent Living Evaluation Project. The initial sample consisted of 1,389 foster youth aged 14-17, recruited from independent living programs at two sites in Los Angeles County, one in Kern County in California, and one site in Massachusetts. The participants were assessed three times with approximately 1-year interval: baseline, first and second follow up. The current study included participants (N= 597; 52% of the California sample) who were age 18 to 21 at the second follow up from the three sites in California and who completed the Adult Self Report (ASR) of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment. Sexual orientation was measured by a self-report question that asked how they think of themselves. Response categories were “heterosexual”, “homosexual”, “bisexual” and “or something else?” These were regrouped to non-heterosexual (homosexual, bisexual, and others; 17%) and heterosexual (83%). Social support at the baseline was measured by 7 self-report questions. Mental health outcomes in young adulthood were measured by the ASR at the second follow-up, assessing anxious/depressed, withdrawn, somatic complaints, aggressive behavior, and rule-breaking behavior. First, this study utilized an independent t-test to compare the level of perceived social support between heterosexual and non-heterosexual youth. Then, a series of multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to investigate whether sexual orientation and social support predicted mental health outcomes. Participation in training program, gender, and the ASR score at the baseline were entered as covariates.

Results. Results of the t-test indicated that social support at the baseline did not differ between heterosexual and non-heterosexual participants. Results of the regression analyses indicated that social support at the baseline did not predict any mental health outcomes in young adulthood. However, sexual orientation predicted withdraw and somatic complaint symptoms, indicating non-heterosexual orientations increases likelihood of having withdrawn and somatic symptoms. Sexual orientation did not predict anxious/depressed, aggressive behavior, and rule-breaking behavior.

 Implications. Non-heterosexual transitional aged foster youth are at a higher risk for negative mental health outcomes in young adulthood. Particularly, withdrawn and somatic complaints were identified as significant areas of concern. It is critical to develop appropriate mental health intervention strategies addressing internalized symptoms of LGBT young adults.