ERIC Number: EJ1475403
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jun
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0271-0560
EISSN: EISSN-1536-0741
Available Date: 2025-06-14
Mental Health Outcomes and Self-Harm Issues Facing LGBTQ+ Students
Mary T. Hoban1; Christine Kukich1; Antonio Duran2
New Directions for Higher Education, n210 p47-54 2025
This study examined rates of mental health outcomes between LGBTQ+ students and their straight/heterosexual and cisgender peers. The participants included undergraduate students (n = 77,635) from 142 institutions of higher education in the United States who completed the Spring 2024 National College Health Assessment (NCHA). Cross-tabulations with the Pearson X2 test examined differences between queer (those who identified their sexual orientation as asexual, bisexual, gay, lesbian, pansexual, queer, or questioning) students and their straight/heterosexual peers, and between trans students and their cisgender peers. In every case, LGBTQ+ students reported negative mental health outcomes; problems and challenges with stressors, relationships, and experiences; and the negative impact of these variables on their academic performance at rates significantly higher than their peers. In addition, LGBTQ+ students described the campus climate as less supportive of their mental health and well-being than their peers. This study documents disparities between LGBTQ+ students and their non-LGBTQ+ peers. Given that health and well-being are foundational to college student success, campuses should increase efforts to provide culturally supportive education and services to better support these marginalized communities. The authors offer a number of resources to help improve the campus environment for LGBTQ+ students.
Descriptors: Mental Health, Mental Disorders, Self Destructive Behavior, LGBTQ People, Undergraduate Students, Sexual Orientation, Stress Variables, Interpersonal Relationship, Academic Achievement, Well Being, College Environment
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1American College Health Association, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA; 2Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA