The Trevor Project published findings from its first-ever longitudinal study, following 1,600+ LGBTQ+ youth from September 2023 through March 2025
October 16, 2025 – The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people, published findings from the organization’s first-ever longitudinal study, Project SPARK Interim Report: A Longitudinal Study of Risk and Protective Factors in LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health.
The report released today includes results from the first year of data collection, or first three waves of the study that followed 1,689 LGBTQ+ youth (ages 13-24) across the United States from September 2023 to March 2025, collecting data every six months.
Analyses shed light on how specific risk and protective factors shaped LGBTQ+ youth mental health over time. After taking into account confounders, the study found that experiences such as discrimination, physical threats, and inability to meet basic needs led to higher odds of later anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts, while supportive actions from family, friends, and affirming environments improved mental health and suicide risk over time.