“It’s like a safe haven fantasy world”: Online fandom communities and the identity development activities of sexual and gender minority youth.

Identity development in the digital context

Soh, S., Talaifar, S., & Harari, G. M. (2024) · Social and Personality Psychology Compass · doi:10.1111/spc3.12940 · Cited by 95 · see citing works

Young Sexual Minority Adolescent Experiences of Self-expression and Isolation on Social Media: Cross-sectional Survey Study

Charmaraman, L., Hodes, R., & Richer, A. M. (2021) · JMIR Mental Health · doi:10.2196/26207 · Cited by 49 · see citing works

Parasocial relationships and depression among LGBQ emerging adults living with their parents during COVID-19: The potential for online support.

Woznicki, N. W., Arriaga, A. S., Caporale-Berkowitz, N. A., & Parent, M. C. (2020) · Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity · doi:10.1037/sgd0000458 · Cited by 50 · see citing works

Developing, Deploying, and Evaluating Digital Mental Health Interventions in Spaces of Online Help- and Information-Seeking

Kruzan, K. P., Fitzsimmons‐Craft, E. E., Dobias, M., Schleider, J. L., & Pratap, A. (2022) · Procedia Computer Science · doi:10.1016/j.procs.2022.09.081 · Cited by 42 · see citing works

Social Media Use in Adolescents: Bans, Benefits, and Emotion Regulation Behaviors

McAlister, K. L., Beatty, C. C., Smith-Caswell, J. E., Yourell, J. L., & Huberty, J. L. (2024) · JMIR Mental Health · doi:10.2196/64626 · Cited by 47 · see citing works

Digital Media as a Medium for Adolescent Identity Development

Sebre, S. B., & Miltuze, A. (2021) · Technology Knowledge and Learning · doi:10.1007/s10758-021-09499-1 · Cited by 33 · see citing works

Building connections and slaying basilisks: fostering support, resilience, and positive adjustment for sexual and gender minority youth in online fandom communities

McInroy, L. B. (2019) · Information Communication & Society · doi:10.1080/1369118x.2019.1623902 · Cited by 36 · see citing works

Online fandom communities as networked counterpublics: LGBTQ+ youths’ perceptions of representation and community climate

McInroy, L. B., Zapcic, I., & Beer, O. W. J. (2021) · Convergence The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies · doi:10.1177/13548565211032377 · Cited by 31 · see citing works

Cascading bidirectional influences of digital media use and mental health in adolescence

Flannery, J. S., Maza, M. T., Kilic, Z., & Telzer, E. H. (2023) · Advances in Child Development and Behavior · doi:10.1016/bs.acdb.2022.10.003 · Cited by 23 · see citing works

Examining the Unique Online Risk Experiences and Mental Health Outcomes of LGBTQ+ versus Heterosexual Youth

Tanni, T. I., Akter, M., Anderson, J., Amon, M. J., & Wiśniewski, P. (2024) · CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · doi:10.1145/3613904.3642509 · Cited by 22 · see citing works

Adolescent social gaming as a form of social media: A call for developmental science

Maheux, A. J., Garrett, S. L., Fox, K. A., Field, N. H., Burnell, K., Telzer, E. H., & Prinstein, M. J. (2024) · Child Development Perspectives · doi:10.1111/cdep.12518 · Cited by 23 · see citing works

The Self-Identification, LGBTQ+ Identity Development, and Attraction and Behavior of Asexual Youth: Potential Implications for Sexual Health and Internet-Based Service Provision

McInroy, L. B., Beaujolais, B., Craig, S. L., & Eaton, A. D. (2021) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-021-02064-y · Cited by 21 · see citing works

“It’s like an elephant in the room with my family”: LGBTQ+ College Students’ Identity Expression During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Hanna‐Walker, V. R., Lawrence, S. E., Clark, A. N., Walters, T. L., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2023) · Journal of Adolescent Research · doi:10.1177/07435584221149372 · Cited by 15 · see citing works

Social media self-presentation of LGBTQ+ youth in the United States: the role of identity exploration, context collapse, and supportive feedback

Chen, Y. A., & Mares, M. (2025) · Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication · doi:10.1093/jcmc/zmaf020 · Cited by 8 · see citing works

Parasocial Relationships in Children and Teens

Bond, B. J., Shackleford, K. E., Dibble, J. L., Gleason, T. R., Jennings, N. A., Rosaen, S. F., & Forster, R. T. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-69362-5_33 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

Representation in 21st Century Online Higher Education

Broderick, M. (2020) · Advances in mobile and distance learning book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-7998-3583-7.ch010 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

Classifying Minority Stress Disclosure on Social Media with Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory

Cascalheira, C. J., Hamdi, S. M., Scheer, J. R., Saha, K., Boubrahimi, S. F., & Choudhury, M. D. (2022) · Proceedings of the International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media · doi:10.1609/icwsm.v16i1.19390 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

The Social Context of PSRs

Greenwood, D., & Aldoukhov, A. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197650677.013.10 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

Trans fans and fan fiction: A literature review

Duggan, J. (2023) · Transformative Works and Cultures · doi:10.3983/twc.2023.2309 · Cited by 6 · see citing works

Online Self-Presentation and Identity: Insights from Diverse and Marginalized Youth

Yang, C., Calvin, A. J., Choukas‐Bradley, S., Leurs, K., Manago, A. M., & Subrahmanyam, K. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-69362-5_34 · Cited by 6 · see citing works

Developing a Resilient Sexual and Gender Minority Identity Online: The Importance of Social Media for Youth before Coming out

Brinkman, L., & Francot, R. (2022) · IntechOpen eBooks · doi:10.5772/intechopen.108208 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

Help a fan out? Effects of fandom type and task type on people’s behavioral intentions toward different types of fans in a collaborative effort.

Seate, A. A., Ma, R., Cohen, E. L., & Iles, I. A. (2019) · Psychology of Popular Media · doi:10.1037/ppm0000252 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

The Process by Which BTS’s Star Attributes Lead to Loyalty Through Global Fans’ Need Fulfillment and Satisfaction: Implications for Tourism Marketing

An, B.-J., Jung, S.-H., Ahn, G.-H., & Kim, J.-H. (2025) · Tourism and Hospitality · doi:10.3390/tourhosp6030126 · Cited by 3 · see citing works

A Scoping Review of Children, Empowerment, and Smartphone Technology Regarding Social Construction Theory with the Aim of Increasing Self-Direction in Democracies

Nash, C. (2024) · Social Sciences · doi:10.3390/socsci13040196 · Cited by 3 · see citing works

The Dynamics of Online Fandom Communities: A Qualitative Study on Engagement and Identity

Parsakia, K., & Jafari, M. (2023) · AI and Tech in Behavioral and Social Sciences · doi:10.61838/kman.aitech.1.3.2 · Cited by 2 · see citing works

Ethnicity, Race, and Identity in the Digital Age

Shaban, A. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-97-4734-4_5 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

Feeling Safe: A Qualitative Meta-Aggregation of Social Safety Cues Used by LGBTQ+ Individuals

Katinaitė, R., Petručionis, K. A., & Žardeckaitė–Matulaitienė, K. (2026) · International Journal of Sexual Health · doi:10.1080/19317611.2026.2671432 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

When the Algorithm Understands You (or Doesn’t): LGBTQ+ Youth’s Identity-Related Interactions with Algorithmic Media

Chen, Y. A., & Taylor, S. H. (2026) · Communication Research · doi:10.1177/00936502261459750 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

Welsh Language Fanfiction in Light of Welsh Cultural and National Identity and Language Revitalisation

Zduńczyk, N., Rogulska, M., & Sokulski, D. (2023) · Studia Celtica Posnaniensia · doi:10.14746/scp.2022.7.2 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

You Belong with Me: What Communication Professionals Can Learn from Swifties

Johnson, R. B. (2024) · doi:10.33915/etd.12387 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

Gender, race, nostalgia, and fanship: factors affecting parental mediation of Disney animated films

Luisi, T. (2022) · doi:10.32469/10355/91599 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

Understanding Postmodern Identity Among US Young Adults Through an Investigation of Globalized Interest

Kim, A. Y. (2022) · Culture & Psychology · doi:10.1177/1354067x221135643

Trans fandom

Duggan, J., & Fazekas, A. (2023) · Transformative Works and Cultures · doi:10.3983/twc.2023.2521

Towards Promoting Online Safety of Sexual and/or Gender Minority YouthPreprint

Park, J., Akter, M., & Wiśniewski, P. (2024) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.4896525

Comfort and Chaos: The Neuro-Ontological Dilemma in Cyber-Information Sharing

David, S. (2024) · Advanced sciences and technologies for security applications · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-67608-6_4

"It's like the only safe place on earth for kids like me!": Youth Queer World Making at Camp Half-Blood

Stueve, M. N. (2022) · doi:10.12794/metadc1944347

Acquisition du premier smartphone : une étape développementale

Danet, M. (2025) · La Revue de Santé Scolaire et Universitaire · doi:10.1016/j.revssu.2025.03.005

Current State of Mental Health of Youth

Chatterjee, S., Dindarian, A., & Rengaraju, U. (2025) · Apress eBooks · doi:10.1007/979-8-8688-1186-9_1

“A Place Where I Could Breathe Easily”: LGBTQ + Youth on Gaming Worlds as Digital Shelters

Gümüş, B., & Ekdahl, D. (2026) · Games and Culture · doi:10.1177/15554120261418456

Fandom

Stefanova, V. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-52643-5_37-1

Fandom como pasatiempo digital

Ortiz, A. L. F., Oliveras, M. A. L., Zabala, J. A. A., Ayala, I. E. V., & Casillas, J. A. M. (2025) · [in]genio revista de investigación y labor creativa · doi:10.54114/ingeniosv12i1.62685

LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Digital Spaces

GHALAMBOR, J. (2026) · doi:10.1002/9781394479719.ch9

Institutional Homophobia and Unclaimed Queer Trauma in Orange Is the New Black: A Multimodal Analysis through Butler’s Performativity and Caruth’s Trauma TheoryPreprint

PANIKKAR, A. S., & SREENIVASULU, Y. (2026) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-10119591/v1

Infancia y juventud LGTBIQ+ en acogimiento residencial: identidades, dinámicas familiares, relaciones con profesionales y clima residencial

López, M. L., Parra, L. A., & Martínez, J. Á. R. (2026) · Áreas Revista Internacional de Ciencias Sociales · doi:10.14198/areas.33393

Revealing Barriers to Identity Exploration Among Sexual Minority Youth in Social Media Environments: A Systematic Literature ReviewPreprint

Setiawan, G., Riski, V. E., Jacob, G. S., Masi, W. F. L., Sufaat, Baitullah, I. N., zamam, A., & Syahbana, D. L. N. (2026) · doi:10.17605/osf.io/meqdf · Cited by 1 · see citing works

Online communities and identity: Experiences of LGBTQIA+ emerging adults engaging with LGBTQIA+ online content during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Penfold, A., Callaghan, P., & Urry, K. (2024) · Psychology of Popular Media · doi:10.1037/ppm0000529 · Cited by 6 · see citing works

Reexamining differences between fandom and local sense of community.

Chadborn, D. P., Edwards, P., & Reysen, S. (2016) · Psychology of Popular Media Culture · doi:10.1037/ppm0000125 · Cited by 30 · see citing works

Online fandom, identity milestones, and self-identification of sexual/gender minority youth

McInroy, L. B., & Craig, S. L. (2018) · Journal of LGBT Youth · doi:10.1080/19361653.2018.1459220 · Cited by 41 · see citing works

LGBTQ+ Experiences of Community Engagement and Acceptance within Fandom

Ortiz-Payne, M., & Kohfeldt, D. (2019)