Social support on social media may buffer associations of parental rejection with sexual minority young adults' tobacco use outcomes.

INTRODUCTION

Sexual minority young adults (SMYAs) display higher tobacco use rates and worse tobacco-related outcomes relative to their heterosexual peers. Greater parental rejection and less warmth are associated with worse tobacco use outcomes among SMYAs. Less is known about the role of in-person and social media-based social support on these associations.

METHODS

We analyzed 2 waves of survey data among 140 parent-SMYA dyads (aged 18-22) residing in US Southern and Midwest regions. Multivariable regressions examined: 1) main effects of parent- and SMYA-reported parental rejection and warmth and SMYA-reported in-person and social media-based social support on SMYA-reported follow-up tobacco use outcomes (i.e., any past-month cigarette use, e-cigarette use, number of tobacco products used, nicotine dependence); and 2) interactions between parent- and SMYA-reported parental rejection and warmth with both types of social support in relation to follow-up tobacco use outcomes.

RESULTS

SMYA-reported parental rejection was associated with higher odds of cigarette use, e-cigarette use, and using more tobacco products 6 months later for SMYAs with lower, but not higher levels of social media-based social support. SMYA-reported parental rejection was also associated more strongly with nicotine dependence for SMYAs with lower (vs. higher) social media-based social support. Parent-reported parental warmth was associated with lower odds of cigarette and e-cigarette use, using fewer tobacco products, and less nicotine dependence, regardless of social support.

CONCLUSIONS

Social media may be a valuable outlet for SMYAs to obtain social support and in turn, reduce risk for tobacco use and related outcomes in the face of parental rejection.