Experiences in Gender-Sexuality Alliances and School-Based Victimization Show Limited Differences in Alcohol Use Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Sexually and gender-minoritized (SGM) adolescents report higher rates of alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking than their heterosexual, cisgender peers. School-based victimization is a known risk factor, but less research considers protective school factors such as experiences in Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs). The present study takes a person-centered approach to examine how experiences in GSAs and with school-based victimization relate to alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking among SGM members. METHOD: = 1.35). We focused on support/socializing, advocacy, and information/resources in GSAs and school-based victimization. We conducted latent profile analyses to examine different patterns in GSA experiences and victimization. Then, we assessed the association between profile membership and alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking in a logistic regression. RESULTS: = 58; 12.4%). No differences in alcohol use or heavy episodic drinking were found. CONCLUSIONS: This study was the first to explore the association between GSA experiences and victimization with alcohol use and documented differing profiles of experiences. GSAs can play a potential role in fostering healthy coping and supporting discussions around substance use.