Hookup initiation and emotional outcomes differ across LGB young men and women

Sexualities ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 932-950 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan J Watson ◽  
Yousef M Shahin ◽  
Miriam R Arbeit
Keyword(s):  
Youth Development ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Coping Mechanisms ◽  
Casual Sex ◽  
Hooking Up ◽  
Gay Males ◽  
Emotional Outcomes ◽  
Media Applications

Research on hookups has grown to keep pace with new opportunities for initiations to engage in casual sex. However, most of the scholarship has been heteronormative, which is problematic because sexual minority (e.g., gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer) individuals report unique experiences in relation to their sexual experiences and health. Through minority stress, positive youth development, and grounded theory of resiliency frameworks, we studied the initiation patterns and outcomes related to hooking up among sexual minorities. Interviews were conducted with 17 participants aged 18 to 25 ( Mage = 22) in British Columbia, Canada. We found that gay males most often used social media applications to initiate hookups; bisexual young women and lesbians were most likely to use social gatherings. Despite most scholarship focusing on risks associated with hooking up, we found that outcomes of LGB young adults were more positive than negative. By way of the minority stress and resiliency frameworks, we position hookups as potential coping mechanisms in response to sexual minority stress experiences. Stakeholders should be aware of the challenges associated with hooking up for sexual minorities.

Working with Sexual-Minority Individuals

2010 ◽  
pp. 837-868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Diamond ◽  
Molly R. Butterworth ◽  
Ritch C. Savin-Williams
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Minority Population ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Psychological Issues ◽  
The Family ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Oriented Research

The present chapter provides a review of some of the primary psychological issues confronting sexual minorities (i.e., individuals with same-sex attractions and relationships). Our goal is to provide a flexible set of preliminary questions that can be used to help sexual-minority clients to articulate their own idiosyncratic experiences and give voice to their own unique needs. We begin by addressing two of the most common and important clinical issues faced by sexual minorities: generalized “minority stress” and acceptance and validation from the family of origin. We then turn attention to the vast—and vastly underinvestigated—population of individuals with bisexual attractions and behavior, who actually constitute the majority of the sexual-minority population, despite having been systematically excluded from most prior research. We review the increasing body of research suggesting that individuals with bisexual patterns of attraction and behavior actually face greater mental health risks than those with exclusive same-sex attractions and behavior, and we explore potential processes and mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, focusing particular attention on issues of identity development and transition over the life span. We conclude by outlining a number of areas for future clinically oriented research.

Working with Sexual-Minority Individuals

2014 ◽  
pp. 845-876
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Diamond ◽  
Molly R. Butterworth ◽  
Ritch C. Savin-Williams
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Minority Population ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Psychological Issues ◽  
The Family ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Oriented Research

The present chapter provides a review of some of the primary psychological issues confronting sexual minorities (i.e., individuals with same-sex attractions and relationships). Our goal is to provide a flexible set of preliminary questions that can be used to help sexual-minority clients to articulate their own idiosyncratic experiences and give voice to their own unique needs. We begin by addressing two of the most common and important clinical issues faced by sexual minorities: generalized “minority stress” and acceptance and validation from the family of origin. We then turn attention to the vast—and vastly underinvestigated—population of individuals with bisexual attractions and behavior, who actually constitute the majority of the sexual-minority population, despite having been systematically excluded from most prior research. We review the increasing body of research suggesting that individuals with bisexual patterns of attraction and behavior actually face greater mental health risks than those with exclusive same-sex attractions and behavior, and we explore potential processes and mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, focusing particular attention on issues of identity development and transition over the life span. We conclude by outlining a number of areas for future clinically oriented research.

scholarly journals Minority stress, distress, and suicide attempts in three cohorts of sexual minority adults: A U.S. probability sample

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0246827
Author(s):  
Ilan H. Meyer ◽  
Stephen T. Russell ◽  
Phillip L. Hammack ◽  
David M. Frost ◽  
Bianca D. M. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Coming Out ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
The United States ◽  
Suicide Behavior ◽  
The Social ◽  
Minority People

During the past 50 years, there have been marked improvement in the social and legal environment of sexual minorities in the United States. Minority stress theory predicts that health of sexual minorities is predicated on the social environment. As the social environment improves, exposure to stress would decline and health outcomes would improve. We assessed how stress, identity, connectedness with the LGBT community, and psychological distress and suicide behavior varied across three distinct cohorts of sexual minority people in the United States. Using a national probability sample recruited in 2016 and 2017, we assessed three a priori defined cohorts of sexual minorities we labeled the pride (born 1956–1963), visibility (born 1974–1981), and equality (born 1990–1997) cohorts. We found significant and impressive cohort differences in coming out milestones, with members of the younger cohort coming out much earlier than members of the two older cohorts. But we found no signs that the improved social environment attenuated their exposure to minority stressors—both distal stressors, such as violence and discrimination, and proximal stressors, such as internalized homophobia and expectations of rejection. Psychological distress and suicide behavior also were not improved, and indeed were worse for the younger than the older cohorts. These findings suggest that changes in the social environment had limited impact on stress processes and mental health for sexual minority people. They speak to the endurance of cultural ideologies such as homophobia and heterosexism and accompanying rejection of and violence toward sexual minorities.

scholarly journals Mediators of the Disparities in Depression Between Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Individuals: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angeliki Argyriou ◽  
Kimberley A. Goldsmith ◽  
Katharine A. Rimes
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Current Evidence Base

AbstractEvidence suggests that sexual minorities (e.g., those identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual) experience increased rates of depression compared to heterosexual individuals. Minority stress theory suggests that this disparity is due to stigma experienced by sexual minorities. Stigma processes are proposed to contribute to reduced coping/support resources and increased vulnerability processes for mental health problems. This review provided a systematic examination of research assessing the evidence for mediating factors that help explain such disparities. A literature search was conducted using the databases PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. The review included 40 identified studies that examined mediators of sexual minority status and depressive outcomes using a between-group design (i.e., heterosexual versus sexual minority participants). Studies of adolescents and adult samples were both included. The most common findings were consistent with the suggestion that stressors such as victimization, harassment, abuse, and increased stress, as well as lower social and family support, may contribute to differing depression rates in sexual minority compared to heterosexual individuals. Differences in psychological processes such as self-esteem and rumination may also play a role but have had insufficient research attention so far. However, caution is needed because many papers had important methodological shortcomings such as the use of cross-sectional designs, inferior statistical analyses for mediation, or measures that had not been properly validated. Although firm conclusions cannot be drawn, the current evidence base highlights many factors potentially suitable for further exploration in high-quality longitudinal research or randomized studies intervening with the potential mediators.

Group-Based Cognitive–Behavioral Therapies with Sexual Minority Clients

2019 ◽  
pp. 361-380
Author(s):  
Jeffrey M. Cohen ◽  
Michelle G. Newman
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Social Exchanges ◽  
Behavioral Therapies ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Therapies

Sexual minorities face unique threats to psychological well-being that are primarily social in nature. These minority stressors include negative social exchanges at both the structural and interpersonal levels. Minority stress results in psychiatric distress; however, sexual minorities display increased self-esteem and decreased anxiety and depression when in proximity to other sexual minorities. This suggests group-based psychotherapy may be a uniquely effective treatment for the mental health of sexual minority clients. Group-based cognitive–behavioral therapies (CBTs), inclusive of traditional and third-wave modalities, enjoy a robust evidence base. This chapter reviews the evidence for group-based CBTs with sexual minorities, and it offers recommendations for the adaptation of group-based CBTs for work with sexual minorities. An illustrative example of a CBT group that was delivered to sexual minority adolescents is provided.

scholarly journals 5.M. Workshop: Sexual minorities' mental health and their experiences of stigma and minority stress across settings

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Elevated Risk ◽  
Bisexual Men ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Population Attitudes

Abstract Over the past decades, public health research has started to examine the higher risk of mental health concerns among sexual minorities (e.g., lesbian, gay, or bisexual individuals) when compared with heterosexual individuals. Until more recently, most of this research has been coming from North America and focused on theories of stigma and minority stress in their attempt to explain these elevated rates of mental health problems. Minority stress theory posit stigma to be a root cause of the higher risk of mental health problems among sexual minorities and that stigma results in victimization, discrimination, internalized homonegativity, and identity concealment, which erodes mental health. Exposure to such minority stressors may differ across structural climates, based on population attitudes, discriminatory legislation, and unequal policies. In this way, such structural forms of stigma toward sexual minorities may foster increased exposure to minority stressors and elevated levels of mental health problems among sexual minorities. However, the evidence on these mechanisms remains limited as they have only recently become a topic of research. This workshop includes five empirical presentations from various structural contexts. It focuses on the elevated risk of mental health problems among sexual minorities across these settings, on identifying minority stressors in high-stigma countries, and on linking country-level structural stigma to experiences of minority stressors to explain poor mental health among sexual minorities. First, Michal Pitonak will present results from the first Czech population-based study showing higher rates of substance use, psychological distress, and low life satisfaction among sexual minorities compared to heterosexual individuals. Second, Giuseppina Lo Moro will present results from Italy showing a higher likelihood of depressive symptoms and mental health treatment among sexual minority medical students compared to their heterosexual peers. Next, Guillermo Martínez-Pérez will present findings on experiences of minority stress among Senegalese bisexual men and linkages to mental health. Finally, Arjan van der Star will extend these findings with data showing how the mental health effects of structural stigma and minority stress may be related to time both before and since migrating among migrant sexual minority men in the low-structural-stigma context of Sweden. Key messages Sexual minorities across the globe are at an increased risk for mental health problems and stigma-based minority stress experiences compared with heterosexual individuals. Structural forms of stigma, such as country-specific negative societal attitudes and discriminatory laws, may drive this elevated risk depending on length of exposure.

scholarly journals Lifecourse-varying exposure to structural stigma, minority stress reactions, and mental health among sexual minority male migrants

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A van der Star ◽  
R Bränström ◽  
J Pachankis
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Rejection Sensitivity ◽  
Internalized Homophobia ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Stress Reactions ◽  
Population Attitudes

Abstract Background Increasing evidence suggests that structural stigma (e.g., discriminatory laws, policies, and population attitudes) can give rise to minority stress reactions (i.e., rejection sensitivity, internalized homophobia, and identity concealment) to compromise sexual minorities' mental health. Yet, many sexual minorities encounter divergent structural-stigma contexts over the life course, with potentially important implications for their experience of minority stress reactions and mental health. We take advantage of sexual minority male migrants' lifecourse-varying exposures to structural stigma contexts to examine this possibility. Methods A sample of 247 sexual minority men who had migrated from 71 countries to the low-structural-stigma context of Sweden completed a survey regarding migration experiences, minority stress reactions, and mental health. This survey was linked to objective indices of structural stigma present in these men's countries of origin, diverse in terms of structural stigma. Results Country-of-origin structural stigma was significantly associated with poor mental health and this association was mediated by rejection sensitivity and internalized homophobia, but only among those who arrived to Sweden at an older age and more recently. Conclusions Prolonged exposure to high levels of structural stigma can give rise to stressful cognitive, affective, and behavioral patterns to jeopardize sexual minority men's mental health; yet, these consequences of structural stigma may wane with increased duration of exposure to more supportive structural contexts.

Integrating Theories of Gender and Sexuality With Deviance: The Case of Prescription Drug Misuse during Sex

2021 ◽  
pp. 089124322110098
Author(s):  
Laura C. Frizzell ◽  
Mike Vuolo ◽  
Brian C. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Prescription Drug ◽  
Prescription Drugs ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Deviant Behavior ◽  
Gender And Sexuality ◽  
Drug Misuse ◽  
Identity Conflict ◽  
Prescription Drug Misuse ◽  
Sexual Identities

Social scientists have expended substantial effort to identify group patterns of deviant behavior. Yet beyond the ill-conceived treatment of sexual minorities as inherently deviant, they have rarely considered how gendered sexual identities (GSIs) shape participation in deviance. We argue for the utility of centering theories of gender and sexuality in intersectional deviance research. We demonstrate how this intentional focus on gender and sexuality provides important empirical insights while avoiding past pitfalls of stigmatizing sexual minorities. Drawing on theories of hegemonic masculinity, emphasized femininity, and minority stress together with criminological general strain theory, we demonstrate how societal expectations and constraints generate strains among GSI groups that may lead to distinctly patterned deviance, using the case of prescription drug misuse during sex. We employ thematic analysis of 120 in-depth interviews with people who misuse prescription drugs, stratified by GSI. We identify six themes highlighting distinct pathways from strain to misuse during sex for different GSI groups: intimacy management, achieving sexual freedom, regulating sexual mood, performance confidence, increased sense of control, and managing sexual identity conflict. In this article, we demonstrate the empirical and theoretical importance of centering gender and sexuality in deviance research and provide a roadmap for theoretical integration.

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