Working Paper: NBER ID: w26364
Authors: D Mark Anderson; Kyutaro Matsuzawa; Joseph J Sabia
Abstract: Since the landmark ruling in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health in 2004, the legalization of same-sex marriage (SSM) has proliferated throughout the United States via either legislative action or court order. Advocates of SSM laws argue that marriage equality will generate important health benefits not only for adult same-sex couples, but also for LGBQ-identifying youths. Using data from the State Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, we explore the relationship between marriage equality and suicidal behaviors among LGBQ-identifying youths. Despite previous research suggesting otherwise, we find little evidence that SSM laws have reduced suicide attempts among teen sexual minorities, nor have they decreased the likelihood of suicide planning, suicide ideation, or depression. Instead, we find some evidence that SSM legalization via judicial mandate is associated with worse mental health for these individuals, consistent with a story of social backlash.
Keywords: Same-sex marriage; Youth mental health; Suicide; LGBQ youth
JEL Codes: I1; I12; J12
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Legalization of same-sex marriage (SSM) laws (K36) | Suicide attempts among LGBQ-identifying youths (I12) |
| Legalization of same-sex marriage (SSM) laws (K36) | Suicide planning among LGBQ youths (C92) |
| Legalization of same-sex marriage (SSM) laws (K36) | Serious consideration of suicide among LGBQ youths (I12) |
| Legalization of same-sex marriage (SSM) laws (K36) | Suicidal behaviors among LGBQ-identifying youths (C92) |