551 - Online Friendships and Loneliness in Transgender and Gender Diverse Adolescents

Poster Number: 551
Publication Number: 551.245

Ellen Selkie, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; Victoria Adkins, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; Qianqian Zhao, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; Daniel E. Shumer, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

Background: Loneliness is a crucial risk factor for mental health problems among transgender and gender diverse (TGGD) adolescents. In the general adolescent population, friendship is associated with decreased loneliness. TGGD adolescents use social media platforms to find social support and friendship. However, it is unclear whether online friendships mitigate loneliness as much as offline relationships do.

Objective: To examine differences in loneliness by proportion of online and offline friends in a sample of TGGD adolescents.

Design/Methods: Adolescents identifying as TGGD were recruited from a Midwestern pediatric gender services clinic from June 2019-October 2021. Participants completed an online survey including the UCLA Loneliness Scale and items about their online and offline friendships. We characterized friendship responses as 1) more online than offline friends; 2) more offline than online friends; 3) equal proportions of online and offline friends; and 4) unsure. Statistical analyses were conducted using SAS. ANOVA was used in comparison for continuous outcomes, and Chi-square Test or Fisher’s exact were used for categorical outcomes. As a secondary analysis, Pearson Correlation was calculated between UCLA loneliness total score and the number of online friends.

Results: Participants (n=142) were between 13 and 21 years old (M=17.2, SD=2.1). Gender identity was reported as 63% male, 14% female, 4% nonbinary/genderqueer, 12% multiple identities, and 2% “transgender” only (4% did not answer). Loneliness scores ranged from 2 to 55 out of possible 60 points (M=25.3, SD=12.8). 17% of participants had more online than offline friends, 70% had more offline than online friends, 7% had about the same amount of online and offline friends, and 7% had undetermined proportions of online and offline friends. No significant differences in loneliness score were found between these groups, and there was no significant correlation between the number of online friends and total loneliness score.Conclusion(s): Among TGGD youth, we found no differences in loneliness related to the proportion of online and offline relationships. Critics of online friendships suggest that they are not “real” and do not offer the same benefits as offline relationships. Our results suggest that, in terms of loneliness, online and offline relationships are equivalent. This is particularly important to TGGD youth who may not have offline relationships in their communities. Further research must characterize other contributors to loneliness and characteristics of supportive online and offline friendships in this vulnerable population.