Perceived self-belief and social support: resilience in bullied LGBTQ+ adolescents

Purpose: Previous research has shown that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals experience greater levels of bullying which may place them more at risk of mental health problems than their heterosexual or cisgender counterparts. Therefore, increasing their resilience may help them cope with the challenge of bullying and have a positive impact on their mental health. This study seeks to provide support for resilience factors that may promote increased well-being for bullied LGBTQ+ adolescents. Methodology: LGBTQ+ individuals aged 16-25 (N=287) completed questionnaires which measured their bullying status, mental well-being, perceived resilience, stigma-consciousness, and perceived social support, in order to compare the mental well-being of bullied and non-bullied young people and to determine protective resilience factors. Findings: Young people who had experienced bullying were found to have poorer mental wellbeing than their non-bullied counterparts. Perceived social support and self-belief predicted better mental wellbeing. Implications: Personal and social resilience was associated with better mental wellbeing outcomes for bullied LGBTQ+ young people. Perceived social support and self-belief, equipped individuals with the assets and resources necessary to mitigate the consequences of being bullied and being part of the LGBTQ+ community.