Sexual orientation disclosure to classmates among Latinx sexual minority high school and college youth.

ABSTRACT

This study examined how minority stressors mediate the association between sexual orientation disclosure to classmates and well-being in a sample of 238 Latinx sexual minority youth (SMY; age range 14-24 years). Results indicated that sexual orientation disclosure to classmates was associated with higher levels of sexual orientation-based victimization, which contributed to higher levels of internalized homonegativity, which ultimately contributed to higher levels of depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem. Sexual orientation-based victimization and internalized homonegativity were positively associated with depressive symptoms and negatively associated with self-esteem but sexual orientation disclosure to classmates was only positively associated with depressive symptoms. Associations between sexual orientation-based victimization and internalized homonegativity were stronger among college Latinx SMY compared to SMY in high school.