Pitt PRIDE IM

12/12/2023

Check out this new article from University of Pittsburgh researcher Brian Thoma and colleagues.

Read the full article here: https://psychiatry.pitt.edu/jama-network-open-risk-suicidal-behavior-after-psychiatric-hospitalization-among-s*xual-and-gender

They found that LGBTQ+ patients are at higher risk of suicidal behavior in the year following hospitalization compared to cisgender and straight patients. For patients who identified as le***an, gay, bis*xual, or q***r, this risk was related to their risk of suicidal behavior when they began hospitalization. For patients whose gender identity was different from their s*x assigned at birth, this risk was NOT related to their risk of suicidal behavior when they began hospitalization.

This study matches previous research that shows that LGBTQ+ patients are at a higher risk of suicidal behavior. However, the year following psychiatric hospitalization is a vulnerable time for LGBTQ+ patients, especially those who are transgender. Offering validating treatment during hospitalization and connecting patients to supportive resources after hospitalization may lower this risk.

11/03/2023

How do LGBTQ+ young adults get support on social media? How do strategies for getting support differ based on race and ethnicity?

Jacob Gordon and colleagues (including our lab director, Dr. César Escobar-Viera) answered these questions in a new research article, which you can read here: https://formative.jmir.org/2023/1/e51702/

As part of the study, 52 LGBTQ+ young adults ages 18-30 completed an hour-long online interview. 23% of participants identified as Black, 23% as Hispanic, and 54% as non-Hispanic White.

The researchers discovered that…
• Black and Hispanic participants wanted support from people with shared identities.
• Some Hispanic participants found it easier to be vulnerable with strangers.
• No matter their identity, participants felt more comfortable being themselves on social media when they limited interactions with family.

This research shows that…
• Identity impacts how LGBTQ+ young adults get support on social media.
• Social media gives LGBTQ+ young adults a space where they can control how they express themselves and who they get social support from.

10/16/2023

The Trevor Project recently released the results of their annual survey on the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth.
Read the full report here: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2023/?c_src=UMCOG241010300&c_src2=dt-20231010-c-WorldMentalHealthDay-V0-mc-5900638d78&utm_medium=getinvolved/advocacy&utm_source=emailsegment-wholefile1&utm_campaign=generaleffort -therapy-by-age
Among the respondents:
- 41% seriously thought about committing su***de.
- 67% reported anxiety symptoms.
- 54% reported depression symptoms.
These rates were highest among people who identified as Native/Indigenous, pans*xual, or transgender men.

Additionally:
- 81% wanted mental health care, but only 44% who wanted it could access it.
- 60% felt that they had been discriminated against due to their LGBTQ+ identity.
- 53% had been verbally harassed at school.

LGBTQ+ youth attempted su***de less if they:
- Had access to supportive in-person and online spaces;
- Had their gender identity affirmed through pronouns, bathrooms, and clothing.

LGBTQ+ youth experience serious mental health issues, and the majority do not get care. We can support the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth by making spaces, both in-person and online, where their identities are recognized and respected and they get live authentically as themselves.

Thank you to the Trevor Project for doing this work. Make sure you check out the full report to see more mental health data for LGBTQ+ youth.

09/20/2023

Our PRIDE iM director, Dr. César Escobar Viera, will be a panelist at this week's Tech and Digital Media Usage on Youth Mental Health panel. This panel is part of the Digital Media and Developing Minds International Scientific Congress taking place in Washington, D.C. We can't wait to hear what insight Dr. Escobar Viera and the other panelists have to offer on this topic!

Here's the conference program link:https://www.childrenandscreens.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2023-CS-Congress-Program-Book.pdf

09/14/2023

Check out our new research on a chatbot, called REALbot, that we developed for rural LGBTQ+ youth.

Read the full article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782923000684

Through REALbot, we wanted to teach rural LGBTQ+ youth how to have more positive social media experiences. We hoped that these youth would report better social media skills and less social isolation and depression after using REALbot. We delivered REALbot through Facebook Messenger and Instagram.

Our participants were 20 U.S. rural LGBTQ+ youth ages 14-19 who reported feeling socially isolated. They used REALbot for one week and completed two surveys, one before and one after using REALbot.

The youth were generally satisfied with REALbot and found it easy to use. They offered suggestions for chatbot improvement, such as making it sound less robotic. Lastly, youth who were more engaged with REALbot reported having better social media skills and feeling less socially isolated and depressed.

Chatbots, like REALbot, are an opportunity to provide tailored mental health resources to and reduce social isolation amongst rural LGBTQ+ youth, who often lack access to mental health support, both in-person and online.

08/29/2023

Check out these video snippets about our newest project!
Thanks to funding from Pitt Momentum, we will be able to look at how loneliness and social isolation impact marginalized youths’ health.
As part of this project, we will be working with three community partners: Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, Casa San José, and Proud Haven.
Featured in these snippets are Dr. César Escobar-Viera (he/him, our PRIDE iM director), Dr. Robert Coulter (he/him), and Jamie Martina (she/her, our project coordinator).
Thank you to Emily J. Bezak and her team at the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Pittsburgh for making the full video, which you can watch here: https://youtu.be/5sB29AE6K1g

08/02/2023

Check out this new paper on how negative social media experiences may impact teens' mental health and well-being by et al. (2023) at the

Read the full article here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10272577/

The researchers wanted to know whether unwanted attention, reading negative comments and posts about yourself, and feeling excluded on social media are related to depressive and anxiety symptoms, mental well-being, and quality of life in teens.

The participants of this study were 3,253 high school students from Norway who completed a one-time, online survey about their experiences on social media and their mental health.

The researchers found that as unwanted attention, reading negative comments or posts about yourself, and feeling excluded on social media increased, so did depressive and anxiety symptoms. Also, as unwanted attention, reading negative comments or posts about yourself, and feeling excluded on social media increased, mental well-being and quality of life decreased.

Teens might benefit from learning resilience and coping skills to handle negative social media experiences. Increasing teens' positive interactions on social media may support their mental health and well-being. Increasing social media literacy could be beneficial for teens, their parents, and teachers.

03/08/2023

We are honored to have received University of Pittsburgh's Momentum Funds grant! Thank you to the Department of Psychiatry University of Pittsburgh for the write-up about this project, which launches this summer.

Read more to learn about how we're using machine learning and human-centered design to learn more about how marginalized youth communicate having feelings of loneliness and isolation on social media. And stay tuned for how to get more involved in the two-year study!

A team of investigators from Pitt Psychiatry, César Escobar-Viera, MD, PhD; Nadine Melhem, PhD; and Marta Peciña, MD, PhD, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh Schools of Education, Public Health, and Arts and Sciences, have received a University of Pittsburgh Momentu...

08/02/2022

Dr. Cesar Escobar-Viera et al. just published a new Pitt PRIDE iM study examining social media experiences as well as impressions regarding digital interventions for managing social isolation among rural-living . This paper highlights both positive and negative social media experiences, as well as the significance of catering specific platforms to certain audiences. Additionally, youth identified advantages and disadvantages of various intervention delivery methods including a mobile app, social media pages or groups, conversational agents or chatbots, and websites.

In summary, positive social media experiences stem from feeling represented, making connections, and engaging in varied social media platforms. Additionally, a combination of different delivery methods is necessary to engage socially isolated youth digitally.

Read the full article here:

PurposeLe***an, gay, bis*xual, transgender, and q***r (LGBTQ) youth living in rural areas who feel isolated are at high risk of depression and suicidality. Given the lack of support in their offline communities, many rural-living LGBTQ youth turn to social media for social support. In this qualitati...

07/29/2022

Check it out! We just published an article exploring social media experiences and impressions about digital interventions. Full article is linked in our bio!

04/18/2022

Dr. Rudolph Hubach and the team from Purdue University and UC San Diego School of Medicine just published an insightful qualitative study on the unique challenges LGBTQ youth in Mexico-US face when trying to access s*xual & reproductive healthcare. This work highlights compounded barriers found at the intersection of immigration status, geopolitical systems, and s*xual & gender identities. Read the full text here:
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9004138/

04/07/2022

Thank you, Society of Behavioral Medicine, for allowing us the opportunity to present our poster at ! The conference's theme this year, The Urgency of Adaptation, was a perfect fit for our work on how social media can be leveraged to improve health outcomes among LGBTQ young people. We had such a great time fielding questions and sharing our work!

02/25/2022

Seeking participants!
Our researchers are looking into the association between using social media and behavioral health. How does social media impact your feelings of connectedness or isolation?

Get paid to share your experience! Earn a gift card for each of the 4 surveys you'll take over 6 months. Click the link to learn more.
https://www.prideim.pitt.edu/nationalsurvey

11/15/2021

Paid opportunity for participants who are willing to take 4 surveys over 6 months! Visit prideim.pitt.edu/nationalsurvey to learn how to get involved.

10/11/2021

Today is National Coming Out Day, and we want to celebrate EVERY q***r identity, no matter who has come out or not! Though there have been positive shifts in how much society accepts people who are LGBTQ+, not every LGBTQ+ person has the support they need to stand openly in their truth.

Whether you’re coming out today, reminding people of who you are, or still mulling over whether or not you want people to know who you are, know that you are loved and you are allowed!

09/30/2021

In light of a new proposed bill (“Protecting Our Kids from Harmful Research Act”) that aims to defund research on health care for transgender youth, it is vital for the research community to come together to speak to how life-affirming trans health care is.

Research such as this article from October, 2020 from Dr. Julia Sorbara, that demonstrated a significant decrease in mental health problems later in life after trans youth received gender-affirming medical care at a young age, is evidence that investing in the health of our transgender youth is absolutely critical to the wellbeing of our society.

09/29/2021

This Friday at 12pm EST, join Drs. Drs. César Escobar-Viera, Jaime Sidani, and Candice Biernesser in a discussion about how online behaviors influence & addictive behaviors among youth. Find the Zoom link below!
Pitt Public Health Department of Psychiatry University of Pittsburgh Candice Lubbert Biernesser César G Escobar-Viera

We hope you will join us on October 1, 2021 when Pitt Psychiatry hosts a Clinical Grand Rounds focusing on how online interactions impact mental health and addictive behaviors among youth. César Escobar-Viera, MD, PhD Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Ja...

08/19/2021

Research spotlight! PhD candidate at UC Davis, Hannah Stevens, compared the evolution of conversation topics in an teen subreddit group to conversations among the larger population of teenagers during the pandemic.

The study found that anxiety among this population increased significantly during this period.

Read the full published paper linked in the article below.

New research from the University of California, Davis, suggests LGBTQ+ teenagers exhibited increased anxiety on Reddit during COVID-19 months.

07/20/2021

New research out of WSU Pullman, by Dr. Steven Hobaica & Dr. Paul Kwon, finds that LGBTQ students who live in politically conservative areas in Washington state are more likely to experience bullying in school than their LGBTQ peers who live in more liberal political areas around WA.

This study drew from the Healthy Youth Survey, a biannual health assessment survey given to Washington state youth.

Dr. Kwon's Resilience Lab also found that where teachers intervened against bullying more, less instances of bullying based on someone's gender or s*xual identity were reported.

Read the full study here:
https://spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/asap.12258

ETUDES Center: Harmonizing Evidence with Practice Department of Psychiatry University of Pittsburgh

The current study utilized the 2018 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey to explore the relations among school district political attitudes, bullying experiences, and mental health outcomes, particu...

07/16/2021

Last week Dr. César G Escobar-Viera of PRIDE iM lab published his research about how researchers measure participant engagement in health behavior intervention studies when those in interventions are through social media apps.

Read article here: https://bit.ly/3xOjHQ1

This research shows a need for more intentional measurement of how different subsets of the LGBTQ population respond to social media health behavior interventions.

It also shows that participants like to use apps they already know how to use, like Facebook or WhatsApp! Researchers should continue using strategic interventions that meet participants where they are.

Read it for yourself and tell us what you think!
https://bit.ly/3xOjHQ1

07/07/2021

Here's a great example of how varied affirming spaces can be! APnews profiled the virtual group, Beloved Arise, a Christian nonprofit that gives LGBTQ+ youth of faith a safe space to congregate and share mutual appreciations.

As society slowly starts reoccupying in-person spaces, virtual hubs have firmly established themselves as valid and important community resources for young LGBTQ individuals. There can never be too many online resources for SGM populations to feel seen and heard.

Jessika Sessoms grew up in a conservative Black evangelical family, attended Christian schools and often heard that being gay was an abomination, until she understood that she was q***r while studying to become a missionary.

06/28/2021

Whether your team meets virtually or in person, defining rules and objectives for your lab's meetings will benefit the overall mission and morale of the team. Research by Nigel Golden of UMass Amherst and Kadambari Devarajan outlines how to create the best structured & nurturing meeting environment.

Affiliations Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America, Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America

06/25/2021

A terrific write-up by Department of Psychiatry University of Pittsburgh of our director, César G Escobar-Viera! In this interview, Dr. Escobar-Viera details his motivations for finding solutions to mental health disparities among LGBTQ+ young people. Read the article below!

https://www.psychiatry.pitt.edu/health-disparities-researcher-cesar-escobar-viera-md-phd-discusses-social-media-use-and-depression

06/18/2021

A research brief from The National Center for Le***an Rights, National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), National LGBTQ Task Force and Freedom for All Americans, says that Black & LGBTQ people of color face the highest rates of disparities, adverse health effects, and discrimination.

Black LGBTQ individuals are more likely to experience economic disparity than non-Black LGBTQ individuals, which affects access to quality health care and appropriate mental health care. Black SGM are also more likely to be targeted by law enforcement, which compounds the likelihood of being discriminated against violently and or legally.

This press release, conducted by the What We Know Project at Cornell University led by Dr. Nathaniel Frank, urges public policy to eliminate the harms against Black LGBTQ and SGM people of color, reflected in the dearth of research.

06/09/2021

For any group that works with q***r teens, make sure your youth see this survey!
GLSEN has its finger on the pulse on how to create safer environments for our .

Pittsburgh Public Schools University of Pittsburgh School of Education

Thank you so much for joining us for this year’s Day Of Silence and the Breaking the Silence Rally! 🙌

With that, our 2021 National School Climate Survey is LIVE! Parents, educators, and allies, we want to hear from LGBTQ+ students! Whether they attended school virtually, in-person, or both, we welcome all LGBTQ+ students to share their stories.

Please share the survey, which you can find at glsen.org/survey, with your network so more LGBTQ+ students can be heard!

06/09/2021

Our friends at Columbia University are compiling a comprehensive survey looking at unique stresses in SGM peoples’ relationships. The survey only takes 40-60 minutes to do. You can find more info here:

SOQIR (So Q***r) is a study of same-s*x, same-gender, and trans relationships — we want to learn more about your relationship, your stressors and your strengths — and what it is like being in a q***r relationship right now. We are in a time of unprecedented rights and protections for LGBTQIA+ ....

06/08/2021

Research shows that having LGBTQ-affirming visible cues in a health provider's office works to disrupt internalized stigma experienced by q***r youth. Read on:
https://www.contemporarypediatrics.com/view/supporting-the-lgbtq-patient
From Dr. Renata Arrington Sanders, MD, MPH, SCM , and Dr. Errol L. Fields, MD, PhD, MPH, for Contemporary Pediatrics

UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh Psychology

The pediatric provider plays a role in supporting s*xual minority and gender-diverse youth.

06/01/2021

Join INQYR's Youth Advisory Board! Visit inqyr.org/iyab for more information.

Are you 14-21? Do you identify as LGBTQ+? Do you want to influence international research about ***r youth well-being and technology?

We're looking for enthusiastic youth to join our International Youth Advisory Board (IYAB)!

The IYAB is designed to include youth voices in INQYR’s research process. Our goal is to connect with a variety of across the globe, so that we have equal representation, that all voices are heard, and that the work we do continues to be informed by youth.

Have the opportunity to be mentored by leading experts in LGBTQ+ research, gain volunteer hours, and meet friends from around the globe! Members will also receive $200 CAD honorariums. Learn more at www.inqyr.org/iyab!

06/01/2021

From all of us at PRIDE iM, Happy Pride Month! Thank you to all our new followers. We feel lucky to be a part of such a loving and curious community of LGBTQIA+ researchers and young people!

Keep an eye on us for more researcher on how young q***r people can engage with their social media networks in healthy ways.

05/28/2021

A study being run by occupational therapy students at California State University, Dominguez Hills, looking at quality of life in LGBTQ+ and Heteros*xual individuals who live with physical disabilities.

See if you qualify! Take the survey here: https://forms.gle/RFGLjjpAo2FiRDmJ8

ETUDES Center: Harmonizing Evidence with Practice Department of Psychiatry University of Pittsburgh

This quantitative survey is being conducted by Master of Science in Occupational Therapy students at California State University, Dominguez Hills. The purpose of this study is to compare differences in s*xual self-concept, mental health, and quality of life between individuals with physical disabili...

05/27/2021

Get your abstracts in before the 31st!

Join us for In My Mind LGBTQ+ People of Color Mental Health Conference, themed, "Youth Mental Wellness - Resilience In Uncertainty", Oct 7 & 8, virtual and FREE...
Submit abstracts to present discussions impacting LGBTQ+ people of color communities...submissions at www.inmymindconference.com

05/21/2021

Researchers from Western Sydney University, Dr. Benjamin Hanckel & Dr. Shiva Chandra, hypothesized that the lockdown would exacerbate mental health issues of LGBTQ youth who might be living with transphobic, homophobic, or biphobic families. They discovered that s*xual and gender minorities used the time to bridge connections to others in their community via social media channels.

Read their research here!

ETUDES Center: Harmonizing Evidence with Practice

https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/young-and-resilient/projects/current_projects/Social_Media_and_LGBTQIA_Young_People

05/20/2021

The Trevor Project released their 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, showing up to 42% of youth considered attempting ***de in the past year. The results prove the need for more accessible mental health services and more humane laws for LGBTQ youth.

Read the survey here: http://thetrevorproject.org/survey-2021

CW: Su***de, mental health
ETUDES Center: Harmonizing Evidence with Practice

The Trevor Project's 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health is the organization's third annual, cross-sectional national survey of LGBTQ youth across the United States. We hope this report elevates the voices and experiences of diverse LGBTQ youth, providing insights that can be used by r...

05/04/2021

📚 Research Corner! 📚
“For Better or Worse? A Systematic Review of the Evidence on Social Media Use and Depression among Le***an, Gay, and Bis*xual Minorities” by Dr. César Escobar-Viera, Dr. Darren Whitfield, Dr, Andre Brown, et. al., 2018. https://mental.jmir.org/2018/3/e10496/

We did a literature review about social media use and LGBT mental health and asked the question, ‘What are the mixed effects - good and bad - of social media on mental health among LGBTQ+ populations?’

What we found:
1. There aren't a lot of peer-reviewed papers about social media use and depression among LGBTQ populations.
2. Different groups go on certain sites more than others, but these differences weren’t talked about in many papers.
3. LGBTQ populations do have higher rates of cyberbullying and mental illness than cisgender people.