Mental Health in Teens: A Closer Look at Attraction and Bullying

Research has shown that adults who are attracted to both sexes have worse mental health compared to those attracted to only one sex or the same sex. But what about teenagers? A recent study set out to answer this question by looking at life satisfaction and emotional problems in both-, other-, and same-sex attracted adolescents. They also wanted to know if being bullied could explain these differences and if the links varied by gender and age. The study used data from a large, nationwide survey of Dutch teens, aged 11 to 16, conducted in 2017 and 2021. Over 11, 000 teens were included, with about half being girls. The results showed that teens who are attracted to both sexes had lower life satisfaction and more emotional problems than their peers who are attracted to only one sex or the same sex.Being bullied seemed to play a role in these mental health disparities between both-sex attracted teens and their other-sex attracted peers. However, it didn't explain the differences between both-sex attracted teens and those attracted to the same sex. Interestingly, the connection between who you're attracted to and your mental health was similar for both genders and all ages. But when it came to bullying, there were some differences. The study concludes that both-sex attracted teens are a unique group that needs more attention in research about mental health disparities.