Subjective Well-Being Among Adolescents: Comparative Analysis of LGBTQ+ and Non-LGBTQ+ Secondary Students

Although there is considerable international research on subjective well-being within the LGBTQ+ community, few studies in Latin America have managed to measure said community in relation to total community, therefore allowing for a comparison between LGBTQ+ people and non-LGBTQ+ people. This study aimed to assess the LGBTQ+ adolescent population in relation to the overall adolescent demographic in the City of Buenos Aires. Results showed that LGBTQ+ represent 25% of students, and that their subjective well-being is significantly lower than that of their non-LGBTQ+ peers.

Focusing on adolescence, which is crucial for identity development, we used a novel self-reported questionnaire targeting LGBTQ+ adolescents and their non-LGBTQ+ peers, (n=1037; ages 16–18). Its questions aimed to elucidate aspects about emotional status and the existence of support networks. In keeping with existing literature, our study found significant differences between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ secondary students, with the LGBTQ+ group tending to perceive themselves as less optimistic about the future and as less accompanied and/or supported than people who are not associable to the community. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that collected this data for both LGBTQ+ students and their non-LGBTQ+ peers in Argentina, and could therefore have great potential to inform education policies.

The survey also included questions about gender essentialism - the belief that gender traits are innate and cannot be changed throughout one’s lifetime - and the results found that LGBTQ+ adolescents showed significantly lower levels of gender essentialism than their peers. However, they were also still influenced by prevailing societal expectations. Given the established link between higher levels of essentialism and discriminatory beliefs and attitudes, these findings highlight the importance of understanding this issue and suggest potential implications for promoting gender equality in educational settings, ultimately improving subjective well-being for LGBTQ+ youth.