Protective Effects of Online Safety and Parental Acceptance for Sexual and Gender Minority Latinx Youth: A Quantitative Analysis of Cyberbullying, Psychological Distress, and Coping with Alcohol.

Purpose: This study explored the relation between intersectional cyberbullying (racism and cis heterosexism) and alcohol use as a coping strategy among sexual and gender minority (SGM) Latinx youth and assessed the psychological impact of these experiences and protective factors such as online safety and parental acceptance.

Methods

Focusing on SGM Latinx youth (N = 1145) from the 2022 LGBTQ National Teen Survey collected within the United States, we explored the effects of intersectional cyberbullying (predictor; adapted version of the Bullying and Victimization Scale) on coping strategies involving alcohol use (outcome; Drinking Motive Questionnaire Revised Short Form) and psychological distress (mediator; Patient Health Questionnaire) and its interaction with online safety and parental acceptance (moderators; LGBTQ Parents Support Scale) using a mediation and a moderated mediation analyses (Hayes Models 4 and 21).

Results

Intersectional cyberbullying was associated with alcohol use to cope, and psychological distress mediated this relation. Furthermore, both online safety and parental acceptance were significant moderators in this mediated relation, where higher levels of either moderator were associated with lower psychological distress or use of alcohol as a coping strategy.

Conclusions

Our findings present key clinical and public health implications for SGM Latinx youth experiencing virtual forms of oppression.