How bullying and harassment relate to alcohol use in LGBTQ+ young people
Peer Victimization and Risky Alcohol Use among Sexual Minority Youth: Understanding Mechanisms and Contexts
This project looks at how bullying and sexual harassment relate to risky drinking among LGBTQ+ teens and young adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of New York at Buffalo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Amherst, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11369223 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be followed as an LGBTQ+ adolescent or young adult and asked about experiences with peer victimization (like bullying or homophobic harassment), alcohol use, stress, and coping. The team will collect repeated self-report information over time to see which kinds of peer harm predict later risky drinking and which factors protect youth. They will examine links with internalized stigma and minority stress as possible pathways from victimization to alcohol problems. Findings are intended to point toward prevention and support strategies that could reduce risky drinking in sexual minority youth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are LGBTQ+ adolescents and young adults who can report on their experiences with peer victimization and alcohol use.
Not a fit: People who are not sexual minorities or who have never experienced peer victimization and have no concerns about alcohol use are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help shape interventions and supports to reduce risky drinking and its harms among LGBTQ+ youth.
How similar studies have performed: Previous cross-sectional studies have linked peer victimization to higher alcohol use in sexual minority youth, but few studies have traced the pathways over time, so this work fills a known gap.
Where this research is happening
Amherst, United States
- State University of New York at Buffalo — Amherst, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hequembourg, Amy L — State University of New York at Buffalo
- Study coordinator: Hequembourg, Amy L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.