Evaluation of State-Level Sexual and Gender Minority Laws for the Primary Prevention of Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence Among Sexual and Gender Minority Youth in the U.S.
YAP
2 other identifiers
observational
30
1 country
1
Brief Summary
The goal of this observational study is to learn how state-level laws related to sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth affect the risk of sexual violence (SV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) among sexual minority (SM) youth in the United States. The study looks at both supportive laws (such as bans on conversion therapy and anti-bullying protections) and restrictive laws (such as limits on gender-affirming care) passed between 2017 and 2025. The main questions it aims to answer are: Part 1:
- Do supportive SGM laws lower the risk of SV/IPV among SM youth?
- Do restrictive SGM laws raise the risk of SV/IPV among SM youth?
- Does the social climate in a state (such as levels of stigma toward SGM people) change how these laws affect SM youth? Part 2:
- How do SGM youth themselves describe the ways that laws and social climates affect their safety and wellbeing? Part 1 - Quantitative analysis: Researchers will use existing, publicly available survey data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) to compare changes in SV/IPV risk among SM youth across states that adopted different types of SGM laws over the period of 2017-2025. No participants are enrolled for this part. Part 2 - Qualitative interviews: Researchers will conduct one-on-one interviews with approximately 30 SGM youth ages 13-18 living across U.S. states with varying levels of adoption of supportive SGM laws. Each youth will take part in one 60-minute interview. Youth will be asked about their views on how laws and social climates affect safety, stigma, and access to resources. Youth will not be asked to share personal experiences of violence.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at below P25 for all trials
Started Aug 2026
Typical duration for all trials
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
July 22, 2026
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
July 27, 2026
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
August 1, 2026
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
September 1, 2027
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
September 1, 2029
July 29, 2026
July 1, 2026
1.1 years
July 22, 2026
July 27, 2026
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Past 12-Month Sexual Violence Victimization
Binary self-reported YRBSS item indicating sexual violence victimization in the past 12 months. Risk ratios estimated comparing states with and without specific SGM laws.
Past 12 months at each biennial YRBSS survey administration (repeated cross-sectional assessments from 2017 to 2025)
Past 12-Month Intimate Partner Violence Victimization
Binary composite of two self-reported YRBSS items indicating physical dating violence or sexual dating violence in the past 12 months, coded as victimization if either item is endorsed. Risk ratios estimated comparing states with and without specific SGM laws.
Past 12 months at each biennial YRBSS survey administration (repeated cross-sectional assessments from 2017 to 2025)
Secondary Outcomes (2)
Past 12-months Suicidality
Past 12 months at each biennial YRBSS survey administration (repeated cross-sectional assessments from 2017 to 2025)
Past 12-month Bullying
Past 12 months at each biennial YRBSS survey administration (repeated cross-sectional assessments from 2017 to 2025)
Other Outcomes (2)
Past 12-Month SV/IPV Victimization Among Racial/Ethnic Minority SM Youth Subgroups
Past 12 months at each biennial YRBSS survey administration (repeated cross-sectional assessments from 2017 to 2025)
Youth-Reported Perceptions of How State-Level Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Policies and Social Climates Affect Safety, Stigma, and Access to Resources
During a single 60-minute interview session at enrollment
Study Arms (6)
YRBSS state-representative cohort 2017
First year of primary analytic population for quantitative analyses examining the effect of state-level SGM law adoption on SV/IPV risk (Aims 1-2).
YRBSS state-representative cohort 2019
Second year of primary analytic population for quantitative analyses examining the effect of state-level SGM law adoption on SV/IPV risk (Aims 1-2).
SGM Youth Interview Participants
Sexual and gender minority youth ages 13-18 enrolled for one-on-one qualitative interviews exploring perceptions of how state-level policies and social climates affect safety, stigma, and access to resources (Aim 3).
YRBSS state-representative cohort 2021
Third year of primary analytic population for quantitative analyses examining the effect of state-level SGM law adoption on SV/IPV risk (Aims 1-2).
YRBSS state-representative cohort 2023
Fourth year of primary analytic population for quantitative analyses examining the effect of state-level SGM law adoption on SV/IPV risk (Aims 1-2).
YRBSS state-representative cohort 2025
Fifth year of primary analytic population for quantitative analyses examining the effect of state-level SGM law adoption on SV/IPV risk (Aims 1-2).
Interventions
The interventions in this study are being studied as a natural experiment and are not assigned or implemented by the study. In any given cohort year, some states are exposed to the legislation of interest and others are not, as assessed using data from LawAtlas.org and categorized by the research team. Enumerated anti-bullying state legislation is state-level legislation that prohibits bullying in educational settings and that explicitly includes sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes.
The interventions in this study are being studied as a natural experiment and are not assigned or implemented by the study. In any given cohort year, some states are exposed to the legislation of interest and others are not, as assessed using data from LawAtlas.org and categorized by the research team. Conversion therapy state legislation is state-level legislation that prohibits the practice of conversion therapy, a practice that attempts to change a person/client's sexual orientation or gender identity to conform to prevailing cisgender and/or heterosexual norms.
The interventions in this study are being studied as a natural experiment and are not assigned or implemented by the study. In any given cohort year, some states are exposed to the legislation of interest and others are not, as assessed using data from LawAtlas.org and categorized by the research team. Gender-affirming care state legislation is state-level legislation regarding the use of healthcare tailored to support the patient's gender identity (may prohibit or protect the right to use this type of healthcare)
Eligibility Criteria
SGM youth ages 13-18 recruited through outreach via research team and partners' networks of community based organizations across U.S. states selected to represent high, medium, and low adoption of SGM-affirming policies.
You may qualify if:
- Ages 13-18 years
- Resides in a U.S. state selected for the study
- Self-identifies as a sexual and/or gender minority (for example, lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, queer, questioning, asexual, nonbinary, transgender, or another non-heterosexual or non-cisgender identity)
- Able to complete the interview in English
- Sufficient literacy to review age-appropriate assent materials
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
- University of California, Berkeleylead
- University of Michigancollaborator
- Tulane Universitycollaborator
- Centers for Disease Control and Preventioncollaborator
Study Sites (1)
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94710-1754, United States
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Sabrina C Boyce, PhD
University of California, Berkeley
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- observational
- Observational Model
- ECOLOGIC OR COMMUNITY
- Time Perspective
- RETROSPECTIVE
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
July 22, 2026
First Posted
July 27, 2026
Study Start
August 1, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
September 1, 2027
Study Completion (Estimated)
September 1, 2029
Last Updated
July 29, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-07
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share
Sharing individual-level qualitative data would pose re-identification risk given the small sample size and the need to protect vulnerable youth discussing sensitive topics related to safety, stigma, and policy experiences.