Adolescence is a time of rapid physical, social, cognitive, and emotional changes that are crucial for shaping one's identity. For LGBTQ+ teens who have different gender identities, sexual orientations, or non-binary genders than their peers, these experiences may be even more complicated. During this phase, they must explore and make sense of their emerging sexual orientation, gender identity, and romantic preferences while navigating through the world.
Peer relationships play an essential role in how adolescent develop and form their identities, including those who identify as LGBTQ+. Adolescent peer groups provide opportunities to learn about social norms, values, expectations, and cultural expectations for behavior.
Some adolescents may face discrimination, bullying, harassment, isolation, and exclusion from their peer groups because of their gender expression, sexual orientation, or sex characteristics. This can lead to feelings of loneliness, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts.
It is vital for educators, parents, and other adults involved with adolescents to create safe spaces where LGBTQ+ youth can openly discuss their experiences without fear of judgment or rejection. Educators should also provide information and resources on healthy relationships and communication skills, such as empathy, respect, trustworthiness, honesty, and kindness. These skills help LGBTQ+ teens build strong bonds with others who share similar interests and values while avoiding harmful ones that reinforce societal stereotypes.
Adults can also encourage LGBTQ+ teens to join support groups or online communities where they can connect with others who share similar identities and experiences. They can also offer guidance on exploring new ways to express themselves and find acceptance within their community, like joining sports teams, clubs, or organizations dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion. By supporting LGBTQ+ teens during this critical period in their development, we can help them become confident individuals ready to take on the world's challenges.
How do adolescent peer relationships influence the emotional development and identity formation of LGBTQ youth during critical growth periods?
The developmental processes of an individual are significantly influenced by their social interactions with peers throughout different phases of life. In particular, research shows that the adolescent years are highly crucial for identity formation and emotion regulation (Penner et al. , 2019). Adolescence is also known as the time when one's sexual orientation gets established, which may have implications on the social relationships they form with others.