(PS7-B40) Associations Between Peer Victimization, Discrimination, and Single-session Intervention Response Among LGBTQ+ Youth

Background: Single-session interventions (SSIs) represent a promising avenue for increasing access to brief, evidence-based treatment. SSIs are brief, disseminated online, and may have particular utility in reaching underserved populations such as LGBTQ+ youth. Notably, LGBTQ+ youth may face discrimination and heightened rates of peer victimization; thus, this population may have unique treatment needs. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relationships between peer victimization, discrimination, and SSI effectiveness and acceptability in a sample of LGBTQ+ youth.

Method: We recruited 1,597 LGBTQ+ youth (ages 11-17) using social media advertisements to participate in this study. All participants were randomly assigned to one of three online SSIs. Regardless of intervention, all participants completed measures of hopelessness and state hope pre- and post-intervention, and a program feedback scale. Spearman correlations were conducted across all variables of interest.

Results: Results demonstrated significant and positive, albeit weak associations between program feedback scores and average peer victimization (rho = .07, p < .05), but not average discrimination. Average discrimination and peer victimization were each significantly, negatively, and weakly associated with change in hopelessness (rho = -.08, p < .05; rho = -.06, p < .05) and change in state hope (rho = .08, p < .05; rho = .05, p < .05). Program feedback was also moderately and significantly associated with greater changes in hopelessness (rho = -.32, p < .05) and greater changes in state hope (rho = .27, p < .05).

Conclusion: Greater peer victimization and discrimination at baseline were associated with greater changes in hopelessness and state hope in LGBTQ+ teens. Greater peer victimization was associated with more positive program feedback across SSIs. Moreover, more positive program feedback was associated with greater changes in hopelessness and state hope. It is possible that youth experiencing greater amounts of peer victimization and discrimination may be more receptive to these SSIs and obtain particular benefit.