Contextualizing the Well-being of Asexual Youth: Evidence of Differences in Family, Health, and School Outcomes

An Intersectional Exploration of Outness, Encountered Discrimination and Violence, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury among Asexual Youth across Gender Identities

Current research on asexual youth is limited, especially in understanding the impact of their outness and the intersection of sexual orientation with gender minority identities. This study investigates the influence of outness on experiences of harassment, discrimination, violence, and the risk of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among asexual youth, with a focus on those with transgender and non-binary identities. Data for this study were obtained from the 2021 Ace Community Survey, an international online survey designed to assess the needs and health status of the Ace community, targeting respondents aged 13 and older. The analysis involved a subsample of 5574 respondents aged 13 to 24 (mean age = 19.28), including 2361 cisgender (mean age = 19.65), 1,195 transgender (mean age = 18.80), and 2,018 non-binary individuals (mean age = 19.13). The results revealed that experienceds of sexual violence, verbal aggression, and physical harassment and bullying not only correlated with but also completely mediated the relationship between outness and NSSI. Asexual transgender youth experienced heightened levels of discrimination and NSSI but demonstrated notable resilience against the negative effects of identity disclosure, highlighting complex dynamics of vulnerability and protection within these communities.

Comparing asexual with heterosexual, bisexual, and gay/lesbian individuals in common mental health problems: A multivariate meta-analysis

We aimed to test whether asexual individuals were at increased risk of higher levels of depressive symptoms, self-harm attempts, and suicide attempts compared with heterosexual, bisexual, or gay/lesbian individuals using multivariate meta-analysis. Seventeen, five, and eight samples were included for depressive symptoms, self-harm attempts, and suicide attempts, respectively, reaching a total sample size of 125,675, 30,116, and 73,366, respectively. Asexual individuals reported higher levels of depressive symptoms than heterosexual individuals (Hedges' g = -0.44, 95%CI = [-0.61, -0.26]) but did not differ from heterosexual individuals in the risk of self-harm (odds ratio = 1.11, 95%CI = [0.88, 1.39]) and suicide attempts (odds ratio = 0.76, 95%CI = [0.56, 1.04]). Asexual individuals were at lower risk of self-harm and suicide attempts than bisexual and gay/lesbian individuals but did not differ from bisexual and gay/lesbian individuals in the levels of depressive symptoms. The greatest risk of higher levels of depressive symptoms was found in bisexual and asexual, followed by gay/lesbian individuals; the greatest risk of self-harm and suicide attempts was found in bisexual, followed by gay/lesbian individuals, and the lowest risk was found in asexual individuals. The magnitude of the disparities in the risk of poorer mental health among heterosexual, bisexual, gay/lesbian, and asexual individuals depended on the type of mental health outcomes.

Experiences of minority stress and their impact on suicidality among asexual individuals

INTRODUCTION

While the asexual community has become increasingly visible, the pathologization and denial of asexuality remain strong, which may be linked to a higher prevalence of suicidality in this population. The present study examined experiences of minority stress and their relationship with suicidality among asexual individuals.

METHODS

This study included a global sample of 12,449 individuals on the asexual spectrum. They completed an online survey assessing minority stress (including verbal aggression, victimization, and health care discrimination), impairment in different aspects of life, and suicidality.

RESULTS

The results showed that 64.8 % of asexual individuals had experienced minority stress based on sexual and/or romantic orientation. Approximately 32.2 % reported suicidal ideation, 10.6 % had suicide plans, and 2.7 % had attempted suicide in the past 12 months. Suicidality was more prevalent among asexual men and non-binary individuals than among asexual women. Asexual individuals who were younger, identified as transgender, and lived in lower-income countries were more likely to report suicidality. Among the different dimensions of minority stress, victimization was most significantly associated with suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts. The positive association between minority stress and suicidality was mediated by impairment in health.

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional nature of the data might prevent causal inferences from being drawn. Validated measures of asexual-specific minority stress were not available.

CONCLUSION

The findings have implications for asexuality-affirming mental health practices supporting asexual individuals in coping with minority stress experiences. Public education efforts are needed to raise awareness of asexuality as a valid sexual orientation and to dispel misconceptions about asexuality.

Beyond sex: A review of recent literature on asexuality

Asexuality has gained increasing attention in academic research and literature over the last two decades. This review discusses findings from 28 relevant studies published in academic journals between January 2020 and July 2022. In this time, academic literature on asexuality has focused primarily on 1) development of asexual identity, 2) sex and romantic relationships for asexual individuals, 3) intersections between asexuality and other aspects of identity, and 4) the need for increased awareness and understanding of asexuality. Future research should expand the scope of asexuality research to include more intersectional perspectives and more experiences of those on the ace spectrum who do not identify as asexual (e.g. graysexual, demisexual).

Sexual Minority Identity and Mental Health Among Individuals on the Asexuality Spectrum in China: A Longitudinal Study

This study examined the association between sexual minority identity and mental health among Chinese asexual individuals. Data were collected in two waves at 12-months intervals, and 156 participants (27 male and 129 female) completed measures of the Asexuality Identification Scale (AIS) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales at Times 1 and 2. The adjusted version of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale was assessed at Time 1. Participants self-reported as asexual/gray-sexual and pansexual/demi-sexual, and those having an AIS ≥ 40 were classified as being on the asexuality spectrum. Compared with a control sample of lesbian and gay individuals (521 gay and 216 lesbian individuals), asexual individuals reported poorer mental health. Self-reported non-asexual individuals on the asexuality spectrum had a negative minority identity and poorer mental health than self-reported asexual individuals. Participants who changed their asexual orientation scored higher on internalized asexuality-phobia and identity uncertainty than participants maintaining an asexual orientation. At Time 1, acceptance concern, difficult process, and identity uncertainty were associated with poorer mental health. A difficult process was longitudinally associated with poorer mental health. The findings indicate that minority stress was partially related to asexual people's mental health and, for this reason, more asexuality-specific factors should be explored.

The Impact of Psychological Distress on the Occupational Well-Being of Sexual and Gender Minorities

Background: Discrimination against sexual and gender minorities in occupational settings has been an important topic of research. However, little is known about this impact in Portuguese-speaking people. Methods: 305 Portuguese and Brazilian participants who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other sexual and gender identities (LGBTQIA+) completed an online survey comprising sociodemographic questions, a set of scales to assess psychological distress, and a set of scales to assess occupational well-being. Results: Participants had higher levels of burnout, depressive symptoms, and anxiety and lower levels of work-related quality of life, engagement, and self-efficacy at work compared to the defined cut-off points for normative populations, with asexual and bisexual people appearing to be the most affected. Significant correlations were found for all variables, and psychological distress was a significant predictor of lower occupational well-being. Conclusions: These findings are useful for understanding the occupational health of LGBTQIA+ people and suggest efforts to improve the climate in the workplace for this population.