Dr. David Kinitz, College of Social Work

Dr. Rin Reczek, Department of Sociology

SUMMARY

Sexual minority youth face elevated rates of depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, and suicidality compared to their heterosexual peers. Sexual minority youth who are disengaged or excluded from the education system or labor market (not in employment, training, or education: NEET) are particularly vulnerable to poor mental health. Through explanatory sequential mixed methods, we will quantitatively examine NEET status and mental health (depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, and suicidality), determine micro-, meso-, and macro-level effects of sexual minority youth protections on NEET status and mental health, and qualitatively explore mental health and related social needs of NEET youth (aged 16-29). Producing this foundational pilot data will provide necessary evidence for the development of future intervention research intended to support the mental health of vulnerable young people experiencing and at risk of NEET. This interdisciplinary study will aim to bridge siloed supports to holistically address the socioeconomic (e.g., education) and psychosocial (e.g., mental health) needs of sexual minority NEET youth. We will leverage this pilot data to develop a culturally responsive intervention study funded through the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development’s R01 mechanism. By intervening on the mental health and social needs of NEET youth, this proposed pilot study and subsequent R01-funded research will have the potential to improve the mental and social health of a vulnerable group of youth, with further potential to improve educational and employment outcomes.