2024 Philippines National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People

Explore the Survey

Introduction

The 2024 Philippines National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People is the first country-wide survey to focus on LGBTQ+ young people and individual and socioeconomic factors that influence their mental health. While more recent national demographic studies have begun to capture information on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), this survey is the first of this scale to examine LGBTQ+ youth mental health in the Philippines.

This project was led by The Trevor Project and the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) LGBT Psychology Special Interest Group, the first formally recognized collective of psychologists and allied mental health professionals in Southeast Asia.

The survey underscores the unique experiences and stressors that LGBTQ+ young people face. While these findings illustrate a number of mental health challenges among this group, they also offer valuable insight into the protective factors that may lead to better mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ people.

For LGBTQ+ young people in the Philippines, anxiety, depression, and considering or attempting suicide remain far too common. However, the survey shows that accepting communities, supportive family members, and participation in religious practices, among other factors, were associated with lower rates of adverse mental health outcomes.

These findings give us a roadmap to understand better the mental health and experiences of LGBTQ+ young people across the country, and what steps we can take as adults and allies to support these young people.

We hope that mental health care providers, policymakers, educators, and other youth-facing professionals and organizations use these data as a resource to help build the safe and affirming world that all young people – including LGBTQ+ Filipino young people – deserve.

The Trevor Project

In Collaboration With

  • Psychological Association of the Philippines

    The Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP), founded in 1962, is committed to promoting excellence in psychology’s teaching, research, and practice and its recognition as a scientifically oriented discipline for human and social development. The PAP is the Accredited Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO) for registered psychometricians and psychologists of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). It is the oldest and largest professional organization of psychologists in the country.

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  • PAP LGBT Psychology Special Interest Group

    The PAP LGBT Psychology SIG is a growing collective of visible and active members with a shared LGBT-affirmative framework. We endeavor to empower LGBT Filipinos and improve societal well-being by generating and championing the utilization of evidenced-based resources on LGBT psychology, strengthening various areas of psychological practice, and participating in matters of public interest. We partner with PAP Divisions, other SIGs, and regional chapters through collaboration on activities for PAP members and the general public, creation of safe spaces for LGBT members, promotion of policies that support LGBT rights and well-being, and eradication of practices that undermine human dignity.

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  • Marc Eric S. Reyes (he/him/his)

    Professor at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Psychology Department who holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Colegio de San Juan de Letran-Manila, a master's degree, and a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the UST-Graduate School. A Licensed Psychologist and Psychometrician who has significantly impacted the field since 2003. Former Psychological Association of the Philippines Board Member and President. He is also a lifetime member, a board trustee of the Philippine Mental Health Association, Inc., and an elected member of the American Psychological Association Membership Board. On July 17, 2022, he received a Presidential Citation from the American Psychological Association for his "exceptional leadership of psychology in the Philippines and globally, particularly his dedication to social issues and his commitment to mentorship." His research interests and advocacy span various essential topics, including Suicidology, LGBT Psychology, Social Media Use, and Children with Special Needs.

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  • Moniq M. Muyargas (she/her/them/they)

    Assistant Professor in the Division of Social Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV). Has a Master of Psychology degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and undergraduate degree in BA Psychology from UP Visayas. Former Director of the Gender and Development Program, University of the Philippines Visayas. Specialises in the teaching of Psychology, qualitative research and methodologies, and gender and sexualities. A member of the American Psychological Association and the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP). Has been the national co-chairperson of the Teaching Psychology Special Interest Group (2014-2021) and an active member of the LGBT Psychology Special Interest Group of the PAP. At present, a PhD candidate in Counselling Studies (Research) in the School of Health in Social Science at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Has also worked as teaching staff (2023-2024) of the School of Health in Social Science teaching Qualitative Research Methodologies in Counselling Research for Masters and PhD students of the University of Edinburgh.

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  • Junix Jerald I. Delos Santos (he/him/his)

    Junix Jerald Delos Santos is currently a Ph.D. student in Psychology at the Ateneo de Manila University. He holds a master’s degree in psychology from Saint Louis University (Philippines) and serves as an assistant professor at the University of Baguio. Junix is an active member of various professional organizations in psychology, including the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP). Currently, he co-chairs the PAP Teaching Psychology Special Interest Group (SIG) and is a core member of the PAP LGBT Psychology SIG. From 2020 to 2021, Junix represented the Philippines in the American Psychological Association’s Global Psychology Learning Leadership Institute as an emerging leader, where he developed a project against LGBTQIA+ prejudice and discrimination in the Philippines. He is a doctoral fellow at Boston College, having participated in its Global Engagement's Summer Visiting Doctoral Research Fellowship in Summer 2023.

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  • Jan Gabriel M. Castañeda (he/they)

    Jan (He/They) is currently the Client and Provider Engagement Executive of Mindcare Club and a consultant at We Thrive Wellbeing and Consultancy Services. Since 2013, he has been a member of the LGBT Psychology Special Interest Group of the Psychological Association of the Philippines. From 2016 to 2021, he served with ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, a human rights network advocating for the human rights of LGBTQ+ people in Southeast Asia. Since 2018, he has been a board member of Youth Voices Count, a network for young LGBTQ+ people's human rights in the Asia-Pacific. He has worked within various spheres over the years, including the UP Center for Women's Studies, the Pambansang Samahan sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino, Circle of Hope, and the Epidemiology Bureau of the Department of Health.

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  • Angelie D. Bautista (she/her)

    Angelie D. Bautista is an Assistant Professor at the University of Santo Tomas (UST)-Psychology Department. She is a registered guidance counselor with 20 years of practice in the counseling profession. She has a PhD degree in Clinical Psychology from UST-Graduate School. She is a two-time awardee of the St. Albertus Magnus Award for Outstanding Research Work from UST. She won best paper awards at the research congresses organized by the Philippine Guidance and Counseling Association (PGCA), and the Quezon City University-Asia-Pacific Consortium of Researchers and Educators (APCORE) for her research work on suicide recovery. She is a member of PGCA and an affiliate member of the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP). Further, she is an international affiliate of the American Psychological Association and a member of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). She joined the PAP LGBT Psychology SIG and the IASP Education and Training in Suicide Prevention SIG. Research travel grants were awarded to her to present her research studies in IASP conferences.

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  • Beatriz A. Torre (she/her)

    Beatriz A. Torre is currently a Ph.D. student in Critical Social/Personality Psychology at the City University of New York Graduate Center. She holds a master’s degree in psychology from University of the Philippines-Diliman, where she also serves as an assistant professor. Beatriz was one of the founding members of the PAP LGBT Psychology SIG, serving as its co-coordinator from 2013 to 2017 and as its chairperson from 2018 to 2022. Her research and public engagement has been recognized with a number of awards, including the Post-Graduate Award from the British Psychological Society - Psychology of Sexualities and Outstanding Graduate Thesis Award from the PAP for her masters thesis on everyday sexism among Filipino women of diverse sexual orientations, as well as the One UP Faculty Grant Award for Outstanding Research and Public Service in UP Diliman. Her research interests include LGBTQ+ mental health, stigma and prejudice on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity, friendships across sexual orientation, and exercise participation and motivation.

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Key Findings

3 in 4 (75%) LGBTQ+ young people have ever seriously considered suicide, and nearly half (46%) have ever attempted suicide. More than one in three (34%) attempted suicide in the past year.

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The majority reported recent symptoms of depression (62%) and anxiety (62%), as well as engaging in self-harm in the past year (59%).

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Nearly 1 in 5 (19%) LGBTQ+ young people reported being threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy, which was related to higher rates of mental health concerns.

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Nearly two-thirds (63%) saw their LGBTQ+ identity as a burden, and more than half (58%) did not feel comfortable interacting with others as their true selves, which were both related to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and self-harm.

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Feeling affirmed in one’s LGBTQ+ identity, living in an accepting community, receiving helpful therapy, and developing healthy coping strategies were all associated with lower rates of mental health concerns.

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Mental Health & Suicide Risk

LGBTQ+ young people are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity but rather placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society.

Mental Health & Suicide Risk:

Suicide Risk

3 in 4 LGBTQ+ young people (75%) have ever seriously considered suicide. Over half (59%) of LGBTQ+ young people considered suicide in the past year.

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Nearly half of the LGBTQ+ young people (46%) have ever attempted suicide, and more than one-third (34%) attempted suicide in the past year.

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Rates of LGBTQ+ young people who have ever considered or attempted suicide

Explore Data by:

  • Ages 15-18

    78%
    48%

  • Ages 19-24

    71%
    44%

  • Gay

    62%
    33%

  • Lesbian

    84%
    51%

  • Bisexual

    72%
    46%

  • Queer

    79%
    49%

  • Pansexual

    86%
    59%

  • Asexual

    85%
    47%

  • Sexually fluid

    82%
    56%

  • Questioning

    78%
    44%

  • Nonbinary

    78%
    54%

  • Questioning

    82%
    54%

  • Cisgender men

    62%
    34%

  • Cisgender women

    79%
    45%

  • Transgender men

    88%
    53%

  • Transgender women

    75%
    52%

  • Bicolano

    72%
    46%

  • Bisaya

    73%
    47%

  • Cebuano

    69%
    42%

  • Ilocano

    72%
    46%

  • Ilonggo

    71%
    47%

  • Kapampangnan

    72%
    46%

  • Tagalog

    77%
    46%

  • Waray

    76%
    48%

  • An ethnicity not listed above (includes Maranao and Tausug)

    74%
    48%

* Note: Ethnicity not significant for attempting suicide ever.

  • Food-insecure

    76%
    50%

  • Food-secure

    71%
    39%

  • Roman Catholic

    72%
    44%

  • Protestant

    62%
    41%

  • Iglesia ni Cristo

    78%
    50%

  • Other Christian Denominations

    75%
    47%

  • Religions not listed here (includes Aglipay and Islam)

    76%
    54%

  • No religion

    84%
    52%

Rates of LGBTQ+ young people who considered or attempted suicide in the past year

Explore Data by:

  • Ages 15-18

    65%
    38%

  • Ages 19-24

    53%
    31%

  • Gay

    44%
    24%

  • Lesbian

    68%
    41%

  • Bisexual

    57%
    34%

  • Queer

    65%
    32%

  • Pansexual

    72%
    46%

  • Asexual

    70%
    34%

  • Sexually fluid

    72%
    48%

  • Questioning

    64%
    32%

  • Nonbinary

    65%
    43%

  • Questioning

    69%
    42%

  • Cisgender men

    43%
    23%

  • Cisgender women

    63%
    32%

  • Transgender men

    75%
    36%

  • Transgender women

    57%
    41%

  • Bicolano

    57%
    34%

  • Bisaya

    60%
    37%

  • Cebuano

    55%
    30%

  • Ilocano

    56%
    33%

  • Ilonggo

    56%
    36%

  • Kapampangnan

    58%
    30%

  • Tagalog

    61%
    34%

  • Waray

    61%
    38%

  • An ethnicity not listed above (includes Maranao and Tausug)

    58%
    36%

* Note: Ethnicity not significant for attempting suicide ever.

  • Food-insecure

    62%
    39%

  • Food-secure

    53%
    25%

  • Roman Catholic

    56%
    33%

  • Protestant

    43%
    24%

  • Iglesia ni Cristo

    63%
    40%

  • Other Christian Denominations

    60%
    35%

  • Religions not listed here (includes Aglipay and Islam)

    65%
    41%

  • No religion

    70%
    37%

Depression & Anxiety

62% of LGBTQ+ young people reported symptoms of depression, and 62% reported symptoms of anxiety in the past two weeks.

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75% of LGBTQ+ young people reported considering self-harm in the past year. Of those, 59% self-harmed in the past year.

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Rates of LGBTQ+ young people who experienced recent depression and anxiety

Explore Data by:

  • Ages 15-18

    65%
    64%

  • Ages 19-24

    58%
    59%

  • Gay

    53%
    55%

  • Lesbian

    67%
    64%

  • Bisexual

    59%
    60%

  • Queer

    60%
    70%

  • Pansexual

    72%
    71%

  • Asexual

    73%
    72%

  • Sexually fluid

    71%
    64%

  • Questioning

    69%
    62%

  • Nonbinary

    67%
    66%

  • Questioning

    70%
    70%

  • Cisgender men

    52%
    52%

  • Cisgender women

    63%
    62%

  • Transgender men

    53%
    65%

  • Transgender women

    62%
    58%

  • Food-insecure

    67%
    67%

  • Food-secure

    50%
    52%

Experienced symptoms of depression

  • Roman Catholic

  • Protestant

  • Iglesia ni Cristo

  • Other Christian Denominations

  • Religions not listed here (includes Aglipay and Islam)

  • No religion

* Note: Religion not significant for recent anxiety.

Rates of LGBTQ+ young people who considered self-harm or self-harmed

Explore Data by:

  • Ages 15-18

    80%
    68%

  • Ages 19-24

    69%
    53%

  • Gay

    59%
    43%

  • Lesbian

    84%
    73%

  • Bisexual

    74%
    60%

  • Queer

    81%
    68%

  • Pansexual

    84%
    71%

  • Asexual

    88%
    68%

  • Sexually fluid

    87%
    75%

  • Questioning

    77%
    61%

  • Nonbinary

    80%
    67%

  • Questioning

    84%
    71%

  • Cisgender men

    59%
    43%

  • Cisgender women

    80%
    65%

  • Transgender men

    87%
    72%

  • Transgender women

    66%
    55%

Considered self-harm in the past year

  • Food-insecure

  • Food-secure

* Note: Food security not significant for self-harm in the past year.

Self-harmed in the past year

  • Roman Catholic

  • Protestant

  • Iglesia ni Cristo

  • Other Christian Denominations

  • Religions not listed here (includes Aglipay and Islam)

  • No religion

* Note: Religion not significant for considering self-harm in the past year.

Considered self-harm in the past year

  • Luzon

  • Visayas

  • Mindanao

* Note: Region not significant for self-harm in the past year.

Mental Health Care

Despite the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and suicide risk among LGBTQ+ young people, most reported that they wanted therapy, but never received it.

Mental Health Care:

Access to Care

Despite 77% wanting therapy at some point in their lives, only 15% have ever received it. 82% of LGBTQ+ young people wanted therapy in the past year, but only 9% received it.

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For those who did receive therapy, doing so was associated with lower rates of mental health concerns, including suicide risk.

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LGBTQ+ young people who ever received therapy & received therapy in the past 12 months

Have you ever received psychological or emotional counseling/therapy from a counselor, psychologist or mental health care professional?

  • 23% No, don’t want it
  • 62% No, but I want to
  • 7% Yes, but it wasn’t helpful
  • 8% Yes, and it was helpful

In the past 12 months, have you wanted psychological or emotional counseling/therapy from a counselor, psychologist or mental health care professional?

  • 18% No
  • 73% Yes, but I didn’t get it
  • 9% Yes, and I got it

LGBTQ+ young people who received psychological or emotional counseling/therapy from a professional and suicide risk

  • Considered suicide ever

    89%
    82%

  • Considered suicide in the past year

    75%
    63%

  • Attempted suicide ever

    67%
    58%

  • Attempted suicide in the past year

    51%
    39%

Risk Factors for LGBTQ+ Young People

Risk factors are things that make the risk of suicide or poor mental health greater for LGBTQ+ young people. Within this sample, risk factors included things like being threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy, experiencing homelessness or anti-LGBTQ+ victimization, and having barriers to mental health care.

Risk Factors:

Conversion Therapy

19% of LGBTQ+ young people reported having ever been threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy.

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Young people who reported ever being threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy reported higher rates of past-year suicide attempts, self harm, and mental health concerns compared to young people who did not.

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LGBTQ+ young people who reported being threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy

  • 81% Never threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy
  • 5% Ever threatened with conversion therapy
  • 14% Ever subjected to conversion therapy

Homelessness

12% of LGBTQ+ young people reported being homeless currently or in the past due to running away or being kicked out by their parents/caregivers. Of those who ran away or were kicked out, 30% said it was due to their LGBTQ+ identity

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Experiences of homelessness were associated with higher rates of suicide risk, depression, anxiety, and self-harm among LGBTQ+ young people.

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LGBTQ+ young people who experienced homelessness were more likely to report considering or attempting suicide compared to those who did not

  • Considered suicide ever

    73%
    88%

  • Considered suicide in the past year

    56%
    76%

  • Attempted suicide ever

    42%
    73%

  • Attempted suicide in the past year

    30%
    61%

Anti-LGBTQ+ Victimization

Experiencing anti-LGBTQ+ victimization, such as being physically threatened or discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, was associated with higher rates of suicide risk and other mental health concerns among LGBTQ+ young people.

34% of LGBTQ+ young people reported that they had ever been physically threatened or abused because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

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74% reported that they had ever experienced discrimination due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

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Suicide risk among LGBTQ+ young people based on their experiences of being victimized due to their sexual orientation or gender identity

  • Considered suicide ever

    72%
    79%

  • Considered suicide in the past year

    55%
    66%

  • Attempted suicide ever

    39%
    58%

  • Attempted suicide in the past year

    28%
    45%

Suicide risk among LGBTQ+ young people based on their experiences of being discriminated against due to their sexual orientation or gender identity

  • Considered suicide ever

    67%
    78%

  • Considered suicide in the past year

    50%
    63%

  • Attempted suicide ever

    36%
    50%

  • Attempted suicide in the past year

    25%
    38%

Self-Stigma Among LGBTQ+ Young People

Self-stigmatization happens when people internalize negative stereotypes about the identities they hold. Self-stigmatization has been shown to contribute to poor mental health.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of LGBTQ+ young people said their identity was a burden, and more than half (59%) did not feel comfortable interacting with others as their true selves.

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The majority of LGBTQ+ young people (72%) said they were able to enjoy their rights and privileges as an LGBTQ+ person, and they did not believe they’d be happier if they were not who they are (72%).

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Freedom and comfort being their true selves among LGBTQ+ young people

Do you feel free and comfortable interacting with others as your true self?

  • 9% Never
  • 50% Sometimes
  • 24% Often
  • 18% Always

* Note: Due to rounding, categories may sum to > 100%.

Do you feel that you could be happier if you were not who you are?

  • 36% Never
  • 36% Sometimes
  • 14% Often
  • 15% Always

Perceiving sexual orientation and/or gender identity as a burden

Explore Data by:

  • Does not believe SOGI is a burden

    57%
    54%

  • Believes SOGI is a burden

    64%
    65%

  • Does not believe SOGI is a burden

    69%
    54%

  • Believes SOGI is a burden

    78%
    64%

Comfort interacting with others as your true self & suicide risk

  • Considered suicide ever

    77%
    72%

  • Considered suicide in the past year

    63%
    55%

  • Attempted suicide ever

    48%
    45%

  • Attempted suicide in the past year

    36%
    33%

Protective Factors for LGBTQ+ Young People

Protective factors are factors that are associated with lower suicide risk and better mental health among LGBTQ+ young people.

In this sample, protective factors included things like living in a community that is accepting of LGBTQ+ people, having friends and family that are supportive of your LGBTQ+ identity, and other individual or social factors like resilience, self-esteem, or social support from friends and family.

Protective Factors for LGBTQ+ Young People:

LGBTQ+ young people who reported living in a community that is accepting of LGBTQ+ people had lower rates of considering and attempting suicide, depression, and anxiety.

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Those who reported having support for their sexual orientation or gender identity and access to LGBTQ±affirming spaces reported lower rates of depression and anxiety.

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Engaging in a religious practice at least once every two months was associated with lower reported rates of considering or attempting suicide, engaging in self-harm, and depression and anxiety.

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Transgender and nonbinary young people who reported having people in their lives who respected their pronouns had lower rates of suicide, depression, and anxiety.

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Rates of considered and attempted suicide among LGBTQ+ young people by protective factors

Explore Data by:

  • Attempted suicide ever

  • Attempted suicide in the past year

  • Attempted suicide ever

  • Attempted suicide in the past year

  • Attempted suicide ever

  • Attempted suicide in the past year

  • Attempted suicide ever

  • Attempted suicide in the past year

  • Attempted suicide ever

  • Attempted suicide in the past year

  • Attempted suicide ever

  • Attempted suicide in the past year

  • Attempted suicide ever

  • Attempted suicide in the past year

Accepting Communities

Acceptance of communities where LGBTQ+ young people sleep

  • 47% Accepting
  • 36% Tolerating
  • 17% Unaccepting

Comparison of LGBTQ+ young people who reported considering suicide by accepting communities

  • Accepting

    70%
    54%

  • Tolerating

    79%
    62%

  • Unaccepting

    79%
    67%

Supportive relationships

How many LGBTQ+ young people have sexual orientation/gender identity support?

Someone is supportive of your sexual orientation

  • 6% No
  • 94% Yes

Someone is supportive of your gender identity

  • 3% No
  • 97% Yes

Comparison of depression and anxiety and having sexual orientation/gender identity support among LGBTQ+ young people

Has anyone in your life been supportive of your sexual orientation?

  • Symptoms of depression

    70%
    62%

  • Symptoms of anxiety

    69%
    62%

Has anyone in your life been supportive of your gender identity?

  • Symptoms of depression

    72%
    62%

  • Symptoms of anxiety

    70%
    62%

Religion

The majority (74%) of LGBTQ+ young people in the PH reported engaging in a religious practice at least once every two months.

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Nearly two-thirds (63%) of LGBTQ+ young people identified their religion as Roman Catholic, and less than a fifth (16%) indicated having no religion.

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Engaging in a religious practice at least once every two months was associated with lower reported rates of considering and attempting suicide, engaging in self-harm, and depression and anxiety.

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LGBTQ+ young people in the Philippines who reported considering and attempting suicide in relation to pronoun respect

How many people in your life respect your pronouns?

Explore Data by:

  • None of the people I know

    84%
    73%

  • A few/Some of the people I know

    82%
    70%

  • A lot/Most/All of the people I know

    71%
    57%

  • None of the people I know

    58%
    47%

  • A few/Some of the people I know

    58%
    47%

  • A lot/Most/All of the people I know

    46%
    33%

Methodology

The content and methodology for The Trevor Project’s 2024 Philippines National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People was approved by an independent Institutional Review Board in the United States and a local independent Institutional Review Board in the Philippines, The Philippine Social Science Council-Social Science Ethics Review Board.

A quantitative cross-sectional design was used to collect data through an online survey platform between June 9, 2023 and June 30, 2023. A sample of individuals ages 15 to 24 who resided in the Philippines was recruited via targeted advertisements on social media. No recruitment advertisements were posted on The Trevor Project’s website or social media accounts. Respondents were defined as being LGBTQ+ if they identified with a sexual orientation other than heterosexual, a gender identity other than cisgender, or both. Recruitment was monitored to ensure adequate sample sizes with respect to age, region, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Qualified respondents completed a secure online questionnaire that included a maximum of 70 questions.

In total, 12,872 respondents consented to start the survey and were identified as unique respondents based on spam and duplicate identifiers. Of those, 704 respondents were deemed ineligible due to their age (not 15-24) or location (did not reside in the Philippines). An additional 3,876 respondents were excluded for not meeting other demographic requirements, such as not completing the demographic questions on sexual orientation and gender identity and not being LGBTQ+. An additional 2,019 were removed because they either did not reach or did not pass the validity question, 159 were excluded for taking the survey multiple times, and 197 were excluded based on their responses to our self-reported honesty questions, indicating that they were not honest throughout the survey. This resulted in an eligible sample of 5,515 LGBTQ+ young people aged 15 to 24 in the Philippines.

Chi-square tests were used to examine differences between groups. Comparisons are statistically significant at p<0.05, which means there was a < 5% likelihood of the results occurring by chance. Small participant numbers were also provided in the notes. All comparisons included subgroup sample sizes of n > 50 except when noted otherwise.

Questions on considering and attempting suicide, as well as engaging in self-harm, in the past year were taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Questions regarding anxiety and depression were taken from the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2 (GAD-2) and the Patient Health Questionnaire 2 (PHQ-2), respectively.

Each question related to mental health and suicide was preceded by a message stating, “If at any time you need to talk to someone about your mental health or thoughts of suicide, please contact:” with a list of Philippines-based, LGBTQ+-affirming psychological chat and hotline services.

Questions regarding well-being were taken from the World Health Organization’s Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). The well-being score was developed by taking the mean WHO-5 score of the sample(40.9), and creating a 3-level split variable using the standard deviation of the mean (21.5). Questions regarding ethnicity, region, religion, language spoken at home, and school enrollment were also taken from the Philippines National Demographic and Health Survey (2017).

This report uses LGBTQ+ as an umbrella term for all non-cisgender and non-heterosexual young people. “Trans and nonbinary” is used as an umbrella term for all non-cisgender young people. This includes trans and nonbinary young people as well as genders beyond the binary (e.g., genderqueer, agender, genderfluid, gender neutral, bigender).

Geographic regions are coded as follows: Luzon, [Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Mimaropa, and National Capital Region] Visayas [Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas], and Mindanao [Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, Caraga Administrative Region, and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao].

Ethnicity categories are coded as follows: Bicolano, Bisaya, Cebuano, Ilocano, Ilonggo, Kapampangnan, Tagalog, Waray, and An ethnicity not listed above [includes Maranao and Tausug].

Religion categories are coded as follows: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Iglesia ni Cristo, Other Christian, Another religion not listed here [includes Aglipay and Islam], and No religion.

Sample Breakdown of Respondents’ Demographics

By age

  • 54% 15 to 18 years old
  • 46% 19 to 24 years old

By ethnicity

  • 49% Tagalog
  • 14% Bisaya
  • 7% Ilocano
  • 7% An ethnicity not listed above (includes Maranao and Tausug)
  • 6% Cebuano
  • 6% Illonggo
  • 5% Bicolano
  • 3% Kapampangnan
  • 2% Waray

By sexual orientation

  • 39% Bisexual
  • 19% Gay
  • 13% Pansexual
  • 10% Lesbian
  • 6% Questioning
  • 5% Asexual
  • 5% Queer
  • 3% Sexually fluid
  • 1% Straight or heterosexual

By gender identity

  • 28% Cisgender women
  • 26% Cisgender men
  • 23% Nonbinary
  • 19% Questioning
  • 2% Transgender men
  • 2% Transgender women

By region

  • 72% Luzon
  • 15% Visayas
  • 13% Mindanao

By religion

  • 63% Roman Catholic
  • 16% No religion
  • 9% Other Christian
  • 8% A religion not listed here (includes Aglipay and Islam)
  • 3% Iglesia ni Cristo
  • 2% Protestant

By food security

  • 68% Food-insecure
  • 32% Food-secure

Acknowledgments

This report was led by The Trevor Project's Research Team in the United States, in collaboration with our academic partners Marc Eric S. Reyes, Beatriz A. Torre, Angelie D. Bautista, Jan Gabriel M. Castañeda, Junix Jerald I. Delos Santos, and Moniq M. Muyargas of the Psychological Association of the Philippines’ LGBT Psychology Special Interest Group. The authors of this report acknowledge the contributions of the following individuals: Dr. Derrick Matthews, Kevin Wong, Dr. Will Cole, Marissa Cohnen, Dr. Myeshia Price, Nathanio Strimpopulos, Nolan Scott, Paul Pham, Alfredo Pizaña, Igor Avilés, Megan Ford, Miranda Jaramillo, Nelson Fernandez, William Young, Zach Eisenstein, and the Psychological Association of the Philippines. Special thanks are also extended to all the participants for their valuable time and insights.

Suggested citation

Reyes, M.E.S, Torre, B.T., Bautista, A.D., Castañeda, J.G.M., Delos Santos, J.J.I., Muyargas, M.M., Taylor, A.B., Eden, T. M., Hobaica, S., Lara, E.A., Jauregui, J.C., Jarrett, B.A., Suffredini, K., & Nath, R. (2024). 2024 Philippines national report on the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people. West Hollywood, California: The Trevor Project
(c) The Trevor Project 2024