Childhood emotional abuse, rejection sensitivity, and depression symptoms in young Chinese gay and bisexual men: Testing a moderated mediation model

Abstract

BackgroundThere is a high and increasing prevalence of depression symptoms among gay and bisexual individuals. Studies have found that childhood emotional abuse (CEA) can impact mental-health problems in adulthood; however, limited research on this association among marginalized populations, especially in China. This study aimed to explore the relationship between CEA and depression symptoms in adulthood among gay and bisexual youths in China and to test the mediating role of rejection sensitivity and the moderating role of sexual identity in this relationship. MethodsParticipants comprised 496 gay and bisexual Chinese men aged 18–29 years. They responded to a questionnaire that assessed history of CEA, rejection sensitivity, and depression symptoms. ResultsCEA showed a positive association with depression symptoms among participants. Participants' rejection sensitivity played a partial mediating role in the relationship between CEA and depression symptoms. Sexual identity had a moderating effect on the CEA's influence on depression symptoms, with a stronger impact for gay men than bisexual men. LimitationsCross-sectional approach limited casual inferences among variables. Recall bias regarding CEA may have impacted the accuracy of the effect sizes observed. ConclusionThis study contributes to improving understanding of CEA's role as a substantial risk factor for strong depression symptoms in adulthood among gay and bisexual youths and it demonstrates that focusing on educating families and establishing equal policies is important to decrease and eliminate depression symptoms. Theories of sexual minority stress and biphobia are applicable for explaining mental health outcomes among young members of sexual minorities in China.