LAUSR

OBJECTIVE Homophobic bullying is pervasive in schools, and has been linked with suicidality among sexual minority youth. In prior studies, heterosexual adolescents have typically served as the reference group to understand disparities facing sexual minority youth. Yet, heterosexual adolescents may also face homophobic bullying. We assessed the associations between homophobic bullying and risk factors for suicide (sadness/hopelessness, considering suicide, planning suicide, and attempting suicide) among youth who identify as heterosexual. METHOD Secondary analysis of a cross-sectional high-response survey was used. A sample of 15,234 US high school students who provided complete data on the variables included in the analyses. Measures used in analyses included self-report of sadness/hopelessness, considering suicide, planning suicide, and attempting suicide. RESULTS After accounting for the effects of general bullying and gender, heterosexual youth reporting homophobic bullying described higher self-reported sadness/hopelessness, considering suicide, planning suicide, and attempting suicide than non-homophobically-bullied peers. There was no gender difference in the associations between homophobic bullying and suicidality. CONCLUSION The present findings describe the negative influence of homophobic bullying on the mental health of heterosexual adolescents and suggest that anti-homophobic bullying campaigns should extend beyond sexual minority students as victims.