A Prospective Study Examining the Consequences of Family Rejection for Sexual and Gender Minority Youth

ABSTRACT Objective This study examined the prospective associations between family rejection and several resilience factors and deleterious outcomes among a racial and gender diverse sample of sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY). Background Family remains a primary developmental context during adolescence, and there is an urgent need to better understand how familial responses to SGMY identities influence resilience factors and deleterious outcomes. Method Participants were 285 SGMY aged 15 to 18 (54.4% youth of color, 57.5% trans and gender diverse) from across the United States who completed a baseline survey and a follow‐up survey about 4 months later as part of a larger study examining an online prevention program for teen dating violence (TDV) and alcohol use for SGMY. Results From baseline to 4 months later, higher family rejection was prospectively related to increased internalized homo/bi/transphobia, TDV perpetration and victimization, and depression. Further, higher family rejection was prospectively related to decreased hope for the future and SGM sense of community. Conclusion and Implications These findings underscore the critical need for family‐oriented programs to reduce family rejecting behaviors and increase family accepting and supportive behaviors among caregivers of SGMY.