The mental health crisis for LGBTQ+ youth in the US is deepening

The Trevor Project – a leading organization specializing in suicide prevention and crisis support for LGBTQ+ youth – has released the results of its first longitudinal study. The report, titled “Project SPARK Interim Report: A Longitudinal Study of Risk and Protective Factors in the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Youth,” monitored the lives of 1,689 LGBTQ+ youth ages 13–24 from September 2023 to March 2025.

The study found that experiences such as discrimination, physical threats, and lack of basic needs were directly linked to increased later depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Conversely, support from family, friends, and an affirming social environment emerged as key protective factors that strengthen mental health.

“These results are heartbreaking, but not surprising. LGBTQ+ youth in the United States continue to face hateful rhetoric and stigmatization, which takes a serious toll on their health and lives,” said Jaymes Black, executive director of The Trevor Project.

“For the first time, our research team has followed LGBTQ+ youth over the long term. The results show that how these youth are treated by society directly impacts their quality of life.”

Key findings

The number of LGBTQ+ youth reporting symptoms of anxiety rose from 57% to 68% over the course of a year.

Depressive symptoms rose from 48% to 54%.

Those reporting suicidal thoughts rose from 41% to 47%.

And while suicide attempts fell from 11% to 7%, they are still higher than those of their heterosexual peers.

Trans and non-binary youth in particular are at higher risk: they are twice as likely to report anxiety (70% vs. 42%) and suicidal thoughts (53% vs. 28%) than other youth.

Discrimination and violence continue

The study found that nearly a third of LGBTQ+ youth have been physically threatened or abused because of their sexual orientation. Of trans and non-binary participants, 40% have been physically abused because of their gender identity.

In addition, 55% of participants reported experiencing discrimination based on their orientation and 66% on their gender identity. These figures did not change over the study period — meaning the situation remained stable, but did not improve.

Harmful “conversion therapy” cases are on the rise

The study also found that harmful and unethical practices such as “conversion therapy” are on the rise against LGBTQ+ youth. Over the course of a year:

The proportion of those who have been threatened with this “therapy” rose from 11% to 22%.

The number of those actually exposed has increased from 9% to 15%.

The role of a supportive environment

Young people’s sense of support at school has increased from 53% to 58%.

The proportion of people seeking professional psychological support during a suicide crisis has increased from 32% to 64%, and the number of people seeking help from friends has increased from 45% to 73%.

Dr. Ronita Nath, the study’s lead author for The Trevor Project, said this is one of the first studies to follow the same young people over the long term across the US:

“This study doesn’t just describe the situation, it also shows what experiences lead to changes in mental health. These results should be a concrete guide for policymakers, educators, and families.”

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