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Substance use by Aotearoa's Sexual Minority Youth: Self-esteem and the LGBTQ+ Community

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thesis
posted on 2023-08-12, 21:53 authored by Robyns Mackay, Hope

It has been established that, from young ages, sexual minority individuals experience higher rates of substance use and associated negative outcomes than their heterosexual peers. However, the results of research investigating the relationships between substance use and self-esteem, and substance use and connectedness to/participation in the LGBTQ+ community in sexual minority youth remain ambiguous in the literature. My thesis describes two studies; one investigating the relationships between self-esteem and substance use in a sample of 1950 high school students (56% female) of different sexual orientations; the other the relationships between self-esteem, substance use, and participation in and connectedness to the LGBTQ+ community in a sample of 169 sexual minority university students (71% women). The latter study is the first to investigate these relationships in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Consistent with expectations, my first study found that greater substance use was associated with lower self-esteem in both heterosexual and bisexual participants. Bisexuals reported the highest levels of substance use and lowest self-esteem, while asexual participants reported the least substance use. In my second study, participants attracted to multiple genders again reported the greatest substance use, and their greater participation in the LGBTQ+ community was associated with greater self-esteem. Those experiencing little to no sexual attraction reported the highest self-esteem, and also the lowest levels of connection to the LGBTQ+ community. I interpret these findings in relation to Self-Derogation Theory, Social Ties Theory and Minority Stress Theory. Self-esteem is indicated as an intervention target for sexual minority youth at risk of problem behaviours, and no evidence is found suggesting participation in or connection to the LGBTQ+ community to be risk factors for such behaviour.

History

Copyright Date

2023-08-13

Date of Award

2023-08-13

Publisher

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Rights License

Author Retains Copyright

Degree Discipline

Psychology

Degree Grantor

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Degree Level

Masters

Degree Name

Master of Science

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Outcome code

200501 Adolescent health

ANZSRC Type Of Activity code

1 Pure basic research

Victoria University of Wellington Item Type

Awarded Research Masters Thesis

Language

en_NZ

Victoria University of Wellington School

School of Psychology

Advisors

Wilson, Marc