(Reuters Health) - Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people have better self esteem and less depression as young adults if they were open about their sexual orientations as adolescents, a new study suggests.
Attempts to hide sexual orientation are generally unsuccessful, and the result is more abuse and more depression, the authors say in the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry.
What's needed, said Stephen Russell, the study's lead author, are "supporting environments so that all kids can figure out and be as true to themselves as they can be."
Research shows that adults fare better after disclosing their sexual orientations, but there was little evidence on how being "out" in middle or high school affects mental health later on.
That question occurred to Russell, an expert on adolescent mental health at the University of Arizona in Tucson, when a high school in Okeechobee, Florida attempted to block students from forming an LGBT-straight alliance group - also known as a gay-straight alliance.
The case was settled in the students' favor, but an unanswered question was whether students end up better off later in life if they're open about their sexual orientations, compared to those who are not.
"There was no real data to suggest otherwise, Russell said.
The new findings are from a study of 245 LGBT young adults in California, ages 21 to 25, who reported their openness with their sexual orientations during middle and high school. They also took surveys to measure depression, self-esteem and life satisfaction.
Not surprisingly, the researchers found, LGBT-related abuse at school was tied to negative adjustment during young adulthood. The abuse occurred whether the students tried to hide their sexual orientations or not.
"I think one of the sobering things we learned is that saying you're out to others is linked to victimization and saying you need to hide was linked to victimization," Russell said.
But after accounting for abuse, people who were "out" at school were better adjusted in young adulthood, compared to people who weren't out.
The study can't prove that being out as an adolescent guarantees better adjustment later on. And the researchers caution that the results can't be applied to all LGBT youths. Russell hopes to confirm the findings in an ongoing study with nearly 900 participants.
Co-author Caitlin Ryan said the results point to the need for schools to have trained staff and policies that protect all students.
"We still have school settings where there aren't policies in place," said Ryan, director of the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University.
Sean Cahill, who was not involved with the new study but co-authored the 2012 book "LGBT Youth in America's Schools," agreed that it's important to help youth to be out at school.
Ways to do that include statewide LGBT youth initiatives to help schools create safe environments, said Cahill, who directs health policy research at The Fenway Institute of Fenway Health, which provides healthcare to the LGBT community in Boston.
Gay-straight alliances are known to create better school environments for students whether they're out or not, he said. Also, having openly LGBT role models in schools is beneficial.
Teaching about LGBT historical figures, such as Walt Whitman and Gertrude Stein, also helps create an accepting environment, said Cahill.
For adolescents, Russell said, it's beneficial to think through a plan of the coming out process, possibly with the help of adults. Plans should consider sources of support, and vulnerabilities, he said.
"I think what's promising about this study is even though coming out comes with risks, being out is going to come with benefits in the long run," he said.
The study was published online in November and appears in print this month.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1ETqPfl American Journal of Osteopsychiatry, published February 2015.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.