Brief Description
Depression in LGBTQ+ Adolescents is very popular, whereby depression is mainly promoted by parents and families, where they play the most crucial role in encouraging mental wellbeing. The LGBTQ youth whose parents are supportive can achieve greater self-esteem, resilience and have a lower risk of adverse health outcomes, thus making them immune to depression (Paley, 2021) . The LGBTQ, transgender, and non-binary youth are significantly more likely to be victims of depression than the straight youth. Strong family bonds, safe schools, and support from caring adults can all protect LGBTQ youth from depression and suicidality (Committee on Adolescence 2013). In the exhibition of depression and anxiety symptoms, the straight adolescent is 1.75 times more likely to show the signs of depression and anxiety than the LGBTQ youth.
LGBTQ peers have higher rates of depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug use, and lower self-esteem than their non-LGBTQ peers. LGBTQ students are disproportionately victimized in schools. 85.2% of students report sexuality-based verbal harassment (Hatchel et al., 2019). In addition to peer victimization, depression is associated with suicide in youth. Sixty percent of adolescent suicide victims had a depressive disorder at the time of death. Depression is the strongest predictor of suicidal ideation.
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For transgender children and youth, family and community support makes all the difference. However, research has repeatedly found that transgender children experience mental health problems. Including suicidality, at high rates, a recent study found that transgender children whose families affirmed their gender identity were as psychologically healthy as their non-transgender peers (Olson 2016). 42% of LGBTQ youth are seriously considered suicide, where the percentage number is more than half of transgender and non-binary youth. The lack of mental health services in LGBTQ youth leads to suicide attempts, depression, and anxiety. They are more likely to be victims of stigma, discrimination, and lack of self-space where they can be themselves.
LGBTQ youth are more likely to suffer from mental health symptoms compared to non-LGBTQ individuals. There is a need to be placed into the education system and providers to better deal with an LGBTQ youth's access to mental health services and symptoms (Ryan et al., 2010) . Care providers and academic staff could use training in specialized circumstances that an LGBTQ youth might face.
The Target Audience
The target audience is the school staff which includes the administrators, school social workers, teachers, counselors, and care providers. The targets audience would be able to understand better the impacts of trauma on the brain. They would know how trauma can contribute to depression in LGBTQ adolescents facing discrimination and acceptance in the school setting (Trauma in the classroom). The audience would identify when an LGBTQ youth is facing depression, anxiety, and distress. The objective is to educated school staff and care providers to better identify depressive and anxiety symptoms that may lead to suicide ideation and attempts. The school staff would be equipped to educate youth and recognize the signs of depression, thus creating a perfect solution.
Training Format/Elements
The training format is informed of lectures and elements like the handouts to aid the designed procedure to prepare the target audience on Education on Depression amongst LGBTQ+ Adolescents. The lectures facilitate more accessible learning and create room for more understanding since questions and clarification requests are included. I choose the lecture format because it is easier to successfully drive the main topic to the target audience than other formats. The lecture elements also include the handout resources where they provide more comprehensive information on the main issue, thus enabling the target audience to study on their own and do their research after the lectures.
Learning Objectives
The participants will be able to benefit from the professionally for the training since there is a lot of information gain whereby they will be able to learn new tactics and handle the affected teenagers. The exercise will improve the effectiveness of the school staff professionally since they will have additional education on depression amongst LGBTQ+ Adolescents. The training will enable the target audience to describe the depressive symptoms and how to identify them correctly in students. The school staff will be able to define behavioral and emotional changes, such as tiredness, agitation or restlessness, slowed motor movements and thinking, changes in personal hygiene or appearance, feelings of sadness, irritability, loss of interest in activities or friends and family, and feelings of worthlessness (Mayo Clinic, 2021). They will teach and help the teenagers learn about the depressive symptoms and how to identify them correctly.
Intersectional Lens
Macroaggression intersectional lens. It is whereby there is indirect discrimination against LGBTQ+ Adolescents. Macroaggression may occur in forms like micro-assault, micro-insult, and micro-invalidation. The LGBTQ+ are threatened and discriminated against because of their sexuality, where they are treated differently. Identities intersectional lens where the LGBTQ+ group is subjected to different kinds of identities that expose them to treats which result in depression and other mental health risks.
Key Concepts from the Course
TED Talk – The Danger of a Single Story
References
Paley, A., 2021. Trevor national survey on LGBTQ youth mental health . Thetrevorproject.org. Available at: <https://www.thetrevorproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/The-Trevor-Project-National-Survey-Results-2021.pdf>
Marshal, M. P., Dietz, L. J., Friedman, M. S., Stall, R., Smith, H. A., McGinley, J., . . . Brent, D. A. (2011). Suicidality and depression disparities between sexual minority and heterosexual youth: a meta-analytic review. J Adolescent Health, 49(2), 115-123. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.02.005
Trauma in the classroom - PowerPoint presentation
Ryan, C., Russell, S. T., Huebner, D., Diaz, R., & Sanchez, J. (2010). Family acceptance in adolescence and the health of LGBT young adults. J Child Adolescent Psychiatry Nurse, 23(4), 205-213. doi:10.1111/j.1744- 6171.2010.00246.x
Committee on Adolescence. (2013). Office-based care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Pediatrics, 132(1), 198-203. doi:10.1542/peds.2013-1282
Olson, K. R., Durwood, L., DeMeules, M., & McLaughlin, K. A. (2016). The mental health of transgender children who are supported in their identities. Pediatrics, 137(3), e20153223. doi:10.1542/peds.2015-3223
Assets2.hrc.org. 2018. LGBTQ Youth Report . Available at: <https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/2018-YouthReport-NoVid.pdf> [Accessed 12 July 2021].
Adaa.org. 2021. LGBTQ+ Communities | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA . Available at: <https://adaa.org/find-help/by-demographics/lgbtq>
Hatchel, T., Ingram, K., Mintz, S., Hartley, C., Valido, A., Espelage, D., and Wyman, P., 2019. Predictors of Suicidal Ideation and Attempts among LGBTQ Adolescents: The Roles of Help-seeking Beliefs, Peer Victimization, Depressive Symptoms, and Drug Use. Journal of Child and Family Studies , 28(9), pp.2443-2455.
Mayo Clinic. 2021. Depression (major depressive disorder) - Symptoms and causes . Available at: <https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007>
