Association of sexual minority status, gender nonconformity with childhood victimization and adulthood depressive symptoms: A path analysis

Abstract

BackgroundSexual minority status and childhood gender nonconformity have been associated with elevated risks of childhood adversities and poorer mental health. ObjectiveTo explore how abuse and bullying explain the disparities in the associations of sexual minority status and childhood gender nonconformity with adulthood depressive symptoms in men. Participants and settingWe conducted a cross-sectional study using a self-report questionnaire among Chinese adult men (18−35 years) who were identified as heterosexual (n = 873) and sexual minority (n = 858) in Guangzhou from 2017 to 2019. MethodsStructural equation modeling (SEM) were conducted for path analysis. ResultsThe levels of exposure to childhood maltreatment were higher in sexual minorities than in straight men, and sexual minority status predicted an increased risk of depressive symptoms via childhood maltreatment (indirect effect: β = 0.026, p = 0.004). Meanwhile, childhood gender nonconformity predicted higher depressive symptoms via both family (indirect effect: β = 0.042, p < 0.001) and school (indirect effect: β = 0.028, p < 0.001) victimization, and there was a direct effect (β = 0.154, p < 0.001) of gender nonconformity on depressive symptoms. ConclusionSexual minority status and gender nonconformity are indicators of men’s increased risk of childhood victimization and adulthood depressive symptoms. As a result, intervention based on both family and school dimensions needs to be developed.