Timing of Bullying Experiences and Sexual Orientation Differences in Depressive Symptoms From Late Childhood to Adolescence: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents report more bullying and depressive symptoms than their heterosexual peers, but there are no longitudinal studies on how changes in bullying over time influence changes in depressive symptoms from childhood to adolescence. We tested sexual orientation differences in the developmental trajectories of depressive symptoms from age 11 to 17 and the influence of increases in being bullied from age 11 to 13 upon increased sexual orientation differences in depressive symptoms.

Methods: The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a prospective birth cohort from the United Kingdom, was used (N = 5,037, 53.38% female, 87.53% White). Analyses were performed using structural equation modeling.

Results: LGB adolescents reported significantly more depressive symptoms than heterosexual adolescents at ages 11, 13, 14, and 17, and these group differences increased from age 11 to 17, ranging from 0.21 to 0.84. Depressive symptoms increased from age 11 to 17 for both heterosexual and LGB adolescents, with a greater increase observed in LGB adolescents, total effect (standardized regression coefficient, β) = 0.82. Sexual orientation differences in the rate of increases in depressive symptoms were partially explained by greater increases in being bullied from age 11 to 13 reported by LGB than heterosexual adolescents, indirect effect = 0.14.

Discussion: Greater increases in being bullied from late childhood to early adolescence are associated with a greater rate of increases in depressive symptoms from age 11 to 17 among LGB adolescents compared to heterosexual adolescents.