Definition: Estimated percentage of children ages 12-17 with more and fewer positive childhood experiences (PCEs), by sexual orientation and number of PCEs (e.g., in 2024, 25.6% of homosexual (lesbian or gay) youth ages 12-17 in California had at least six PCEs).
Data Source: Number of positive childhood experiences (PCEs) - Teens: The California Health Interview Survey, 2023-2024. Tabulation by the California Dept. of Public Health, Injury and Violence Prevention Branch (Jun. 2026).
Footnote: This indicator reports on seven positive childhood experiences: Always or most of the time (1) feeling able to talk to family about feelings, (2) feeling supported by family during difficult times, (3) feeling safe and protected by an adult at home, (4) having at least two adults other than parents take genuine interest, (5) feeling supported by friends, (6) feeling a sense of belonging at school, (7) enjoying participating in community traditions. These estimates are based on a survey of the population and are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error. The notation S refers to data that have been suppressed to protect confidentiality. Use data with caution. The annotation [!!] indicates a statistically unstable estimate with a small sample size and coefficient of variation greater than 30%. Unannotated estimates are statistically stable within a 30% coefficient of variation but may not meet kidsdata.org's standards for reliability based on margin of error (MOE), which require MOEs of no greater than five (or ten) percentage points at the 95% (or 90%) confidence level. For more information, visit the California Health Interview Survey.
