Supporting and Validating LGBTQ+ Teen Identity: Youth Preferences on Family Support, Strategies, and Dissemination Settings

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and transgender (LGBTQ+) youth face elevated mental health risks, often due to stigma and lack of affirming family support. Family affirmation is associated with positive outcomes. We explored how LGBTQ+ youth want to receive identity support, what resources they find helpful, and where they prefer accessing this information. Adolescents (N = 808; ages 13–17; non-Hispanic White 71.90%) were recruited by social media to complete an anonymous survey. Most reported not receiving affirming support from family. Youth endorsed multiple strategies families could use to offer better support, with mental health literacy identified as the most desired. Findings underscore the critical role families play in supporting LGBTQ+ youth and improving mental health outcomes.