Bullying Victimisation, Self-Esteem and Perceived Appearance Among Minoritised Sexual and Gender Identities in Adolescence

Adolescent experiences of bullying victimisation can significantly impact self-perception such as self-esteem and body image. According to Minority Stress Theory (MST), marginalised groups, including sexual and gender minoritised (SGM) youth, experience higher stressors which can interact with internal cognitive processes, leading to heightened vigilance toward potential threats and increased psychological distress. We conducted a secondary analysis of N=20,092 Year 8 and Year 10 students to investigate the relationships between bullying victimisation, self-esteem, and perceived appearance and whether these relationships are more pronounced across sexual and gender minority groups. Our findings showed higher rates of victimisation among SGM youth, and lower self-esteem and perceived appearance satisfaction compared to their cisgender and heterosexual peers. Contrary to MST, however, we did not find evidence that the effect of bullying on self-esteem and perceived appearance was stronger for minoritised youth. This suggests a need to refine existing theoretical models to better account for the experiences of gender and sexual minority adolescents. The study underscores the importance of considering both the psychological impact of bullying and the unique experiences of SGM youth in the development of intervention strategies aimed at reducing bullying and promoting positive mental health outcomes.