Project SPARK Two-Year Findings

Executive Summary

Project SPARK (Studying Protective And RisK factors: A Longitudinal Mental Health and Experiences Study among LGBTQ+ Young People) is an ongoing longitudinal study following 1,689 LGBTQ+ youth ages 13–24 across the United States (U.S.). This report presents two-year findings from the first five waves of data collection, with surveys administered every six months from September 2023 through March 2026. The study tracks the mental health, well-being, and lived experiences of LGBTQ+ young people over time, with the goal of understanding how risk and protective factors — including family support, access to care, and experiences of discrimination — shape mental health trajectories.

The sample is diverse across race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity: 68% of participants were youth of color, and 53% were transgender, nonbinary, or gender-questioning. Participants reported a range of sexual orientations, including bisexual, pansexual, queer, and asexual identities.

This two-year report builds on the interim one-year findings by extending follow-up through the fifth survey wave, completed approximately two years after baseline. In this report, “baseline” refers to the initial survey completed by each participant.

In addition to tracking changes two years after baseline in respondents’ anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, discrimination, victimization, conversion therapy, economic insecurity, mental health care access, transgender health care access, affirming environments, family support, and gender euphoria, this report also includes findings related to self-harm, bathroom access among transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) participants, and online safety and social media use.

These findings point to the importance of addressing both the harms that place young people at risk and the supports that help them feel safe, affirmed, and connected. Reducing exposure to stigma, discrimination, conversion therapy, economic insecurity, and gender-based exclusion — while expanding affirming relationships, supportive homes, access to care, and gender-affirming resources — may be critical for improving mental health and reducing suicide risk among LGBTQ+ youth.

As Project SPARK continues, future waves will help show how LGBTQ+ young people’s mental health, experiences, and sources of support change as they move through adolescence and young adulthood. Because the study is following participants during a period of significant social and political change for LGBTQ+ communities, continued follow-up will be especially important for understanding how these broader conditions shape young people’s lives. Findings from this ongoing study can help guide policies, resources, and interventions that are grounded in what LGBTQ+ young people are experiencing and what they need to be healthy, safe, and supported.

Key Findings

Persistent mental health challenges: Already high rates of anxiety and depression observed at baseline increased after two years of follow-up, while suicidal ideation stayed consistently high. At the same time, self-harm and suicide attempts decreased from baseline.

Continued stigma-related stressors: From baseline through the two-year follow-up, more than half of participants reported discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Among TGNB participants, gender identity-based discrimination increased by the two-year follow-up. Reports of ever having been threatened with or exposed to conversion therapy also increased from baseline through the two-year follow-up, suggesting that these experiences continued to occur and accumulate during the study period.

Ongoing economic insecurity: Past-year houselessness increased between one-year and two-year follow-ups. Unmet basic needs also remained high at both follow-ups relative to baseline.

A mix of progress and barriers in gender affirmation: Among TGNB participants who wanted hormones, access increased substantially over time, and access to tools related to gender expression or transition – such as clothing, binders, or shapewear – also improved. However, many TGNB participants continued to report barriers, including bathroom access barriers and difficulty changing identification documents.

Growth in some protective factors: LGBTQ+-affirming home environments increased by the two-year follow-up, gender euphoria increased steadily, and participants who received mental health care reported increasingly helpful care over time.

Barriers to care remained: Although most participants who wanted mental health care were receiving it at the two-year follow-up, participants continued to report barriers including parent or caregiver permission, cost, fear of discussing mental health, fear of not being taken seriously, and concerns that providers would not understand their LGBTQ+ identities.

Decreases in online comfort and slightly fewer experiences of cyberbullying: From the one-year to two-year follow-up period, LGBTQ+ young people became slightly less comfortable using social media for identity disclosure and exploration, and reported modest decreases in social media use to seek LGBTQ+-related information, support, and connection. At the same time, cyberbullying scores were low at both time points and participants reported slightly fewer LGBTQ+-related cyberbullying experiences in the two-year follow-up.

Decreases in online comfort and slightly fewer experiences of cyberbullying: From the one-year to two-year follow-up period, LGBTQ+ young people became slightly less comfortable using social media for identity disclosure and exploration, and reported modest decreases in social media use to seek LGBTQ+-related information, support, and connection. At the same time, cyberbullying scores were low at both time points and participants reported slightly fewer LGBTQ+-related cyberbullying experiences in the two-year follow-up.

Peer support was central, crisis line support increased, but gaps in help-seeking remain: Friends were the most common source of support during suicidal crises, and helpline use increased from baseline to the two-year follow-up. However, nearly one-third of participants who experienced suicidal thoughts reported seeking help from no one at every assessment.

Longitudinal models showed that risk and protective factors were linked to mental health over time: Victimization, discrimination, conversion therapy, economic insecurity, and bathroom access barriers were associated with poorer mental health outcomes, self-harm, and suicidal ideation over time; while affirming home environments, family support, gender euphoria, and access to some gender-affirming resources were associated with better outcomes over time.