title: Sexual-Orientation Differences in Positive Youth Development: The Mediational Role of Bullying Victimization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine sexual-orientation differences in positive youth development, and how bullying victimization mediated these differences in a sample of adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2007 to 2008, positive youth development was measured in 1870 adolescents from US schools and after-school programs in 45 states by using the validated Five Cs model of competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring/compassion. Sexual-minority youths (6.8%) reported having same- or both-gender sexual attractions. Nonattracted youths (4.2%) reported having no sexual attractions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with sexual-minority youths, heterosexual and nonattracted youths had lower odds of being a victim of bullying. Heterosexual and nonattracted youths also had higher average scores in competence, confidence, and connection, but these associations between sexual orientation and positive youth development scores were partly attributable to lack of bullying victimization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Designing, implementing, and evaluating interventions that reduce bullying can give sexual-minority youths access to several building blocks of health and well-being.
authors.affiliation: Robert W. S. Coulter, A. L. Herrick, and Ron D. Stall are with the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. M. Reuel Friedman is with the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh. All authors are associated with the Center for LGBT Health Research, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh.
authors.forename: Robert W S
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Coulter
authors.affiliation: Robert W. S. Coulter, A. L. Herrick, and Ron D. Stall are with the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. M. Reuel Friedman is with the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh. All authors are associated with the Center for LGBT Health Research, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Herrick
authors.affiliation: Robert W. S. Coulter, A. L. Herrick, and Ron D. Stall are with the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. M. Reuel Friedman is with the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh. All authors are associated with the Center for LGBT Health Research, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh.
authors.forename: M Reuel
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.affiliation: Robert W. S. Coulter, A. L. Herrick, and Ron D. Stall are with the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. M. Reuel Friedman is with the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh. All authors are associated with the Center for LGBT Health Research, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh.
authors.forename: Ron D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Stall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D041923:Adolescent Development; D058445:Bullying / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology; D019529:Sexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires