title: Associations between social support network characteristics and receipt of emotional and material support among a sample of male sexual minority youth.
abstract: Few studies have examined how social support network characteristics are related to perceived receipt of social support among male sexual minority youth. Using egocentric network data collected from a study of male sexual minority youth (n=592), multivariable logistic regression analyses examined distinct associations between individual and social network characteristics with receipt of (1) emotional and (2) material support. In multivariable models, frequent communication and having friends in one's network yielded a two-fold increase in the likelihood of receiving emotional support whereas frequent communication was associated with an almost three-fold higher likelihood of perceived material support. Finally, greater internalized homophobia and personal experiences of gay-related stigma were inversely associated with perceived receipt of emotional and material support, respectively. Understanding the evolving social context and social interactions of this new generation of male sexual minority youth is warranted in order to understand the broader, contextual factors associated with their overall health and well-being.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies, Steinhardt School of, Culture, Education & Human Development, New York University, NY.
authors.forename: Farzana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kapadia
authors.affiliation: Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies, Steinhardt School of, Culture, Education & Human Development, New York University, NY.
authors.forename: Perry
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Halkitis
authors.affiliation: Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies, Steinhardt School of, Culture, Education & Human Development, New York University.
authors.forename: Staci
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public, Health, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siconolfi
authors.affiliation: Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies, Steinhardt School of, Culture, Education & Human Development, New York University.
authors.forename: Rafael Perez
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Figueroa
keywords: sexual minority; social networks; social support; youth/adolescents