Dispositional mindfulness mediates the relationship between internalized homonegativity and depressive symptoms in lesbians and gay men

BackgroundLiterature in the West suggested that bisexual men have a higher smoking rate compared to gay men. Data on patterns of smoking among gay and bisexual men are limited in Eastern Asian countries like China. This study examined the cigarette smoking prevalence for gay versus bisexual men in China and their unique minority stress - smoking pathways.MethodsBetween September 2017 and November 2018, we surveyed a convenience sample of 538 gay men and 138 bisexual men recruited from local sexual minority organizations in four metropolitan cities in China (i.e., Beijing, Wuhan, Nanchang, and Changsha). Measures included sexual orientation, sociodemographics, theory-based minority stressors, depressive symptoms, and past 30-day cigarette smoking. Two-group (gay men vs. bisexual men) structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test possible distinct mechanisms between theory-based stressors, depressive symptoms, and cigarette smoking among gay men and bisexual men, respectively.ResultsThe mean age of participants was 26.51 (SD = 8.41) years old and 76.3% of them had at least a college degree. Bisexual men reported a higher rate of cigarette smoking compared to gay men (39.9% vs. 27.3%). Two-group SEM indicated that the pathways for cigarette smoking were not different between gay and bisexual men. Higher rejection anticipation was associated with greater depressive symptoms (standardized β = 0.32, p < .001), and depressive symptoms were not associated with cigarette smoking.ConclusionsMinority stress, specifically rejection anticipation, may be critical considerations in addressing depressive symptoms, but not smoking, among both gay and bisexual men in China.

The right comparisons in testing the minority stress hypothesis: comment on Savin-Williams, Cohen, Joyner, and Rieger (2010).

The interplay between disordered eating, depressive symptoms and self-objectification differs between genders and sexual orientations, and merits further study in homosexual and heterosexual men. We examined disordered eating, depressive symptoms and self-objectification in a sample of Israeli heterosexual and homosexual men. Participants were 215 men aged 19-65, 108 of whom were classified by the Kinsey scale as being heterosexual and 107 as homosexual. They completed online measures of self-objectification, disordered eating and depressive symptoms. Heterosexual men reported lower levels of disordered eating and self-objectification than homosexual men, however the difference in depressive symptoms was not statistically significant. Correlations between disordered eating, self-objectification and depressive symptoms when controlling for age, BMI and number of children were all significant, with similar patterns of association for heterosexual and homosexual men. Self-objectification partially mediated the association between sexual orientation and disordered eating. However, contrary to our hypothesis, sexual orientation (homosexual/heterosexual) did not moderate the association between disordered eating and self-objectification. The tendency of homosexual men towards self-objectification is linked to unhealthy eating habits. Self-objectification helps explain the propensity of homosexual versus heterosexual men to develop disordered eating and possibly eating disorders. It should therefore be targeted in prevention and in therapy.

The prevalence of depressive symptoms among gay and bisexual men is cause for concern. This study aimed to investigate whether hope and its two components (agency and pathways) moderated the relationship between sexual orientation concealment and depressive symptoms in gay and bisexual men and whether the moderating effects were conditional on sexual orientation. Participants were 197 gay men aged 18 to 71 years (M = 35.13 years, SD = 12.18 years) and 212 bisexual men aged 18 to 66 years (M = 29.24 years, SD = 10.46 years) who completed The Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, The Sexual Orientation Concealment Scale, and The Adult Hope Scale. Results did not support the moderating role of hope, agency, or pathways. The interaction between sexual orientation and pathways was significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Higher levels of pathways were associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms for both groups of men, however, the association was stronger for gay men compared with bisexual men. Higher levels of hope, agency, and pathways were associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms. Interventions aimed at increasing hope may be beneficial for reducing depressive symptoms among gay and bisexual men.

“John” was a 35-year-old white gay man who was referred to Dr. Ruiz for psychiatric care by a local family practitioner. John suffered primarily from bouts of depression and anxiety and also used cocaine quite regularly. At about age 16, John began to use pot with his high school friends during social parties. He also realized around this time that he was gay, although he kept it primarily to himself out of shame, guilt, embarrassment, and fears of rejection by family and friends. By age 18, John was occasionally using alcohol and LSD and had engaged in a few homosexual encounters. During college, he stepped up his addiction to stimulants and continued to have occasional homosexual encounters. Upon finishing college, he earned a master’s degree in education. During this period, his use of cocaine and amphetamines as well as his homosexual activities became more regular. Since earning his master’s degree, he had been working as a high school math teacher for about 10 years.

Objectives Physical and mental health disparities were explored among Israeli middle-aged and older gay and heterosexual men alongside the moderating role of age, relationship status, and place of birth. Method 173 middle-aged and older gay men were individually matched with 173 middle-aged and older heterosexual men at the age range of 50–86 (M = 60.56, SD = 8.42). All participants completed measures of doctor visits, physical health comorbidity, depressive symptoms, and anxiety. Results Israeli middle-aged and older gay and heterosexual men did not significantly differ on physical or mental health indicators. However, a more differential analysis revealed that older age and relationship status had a moderating role, such that older gay men reported more physical health comorbidity in comparison to older heterosexual men. Similarly, gay men who were not in a steady relationship reported more frequent visits to the doctor and more anxiety in comparison to heterosexual men who were not in a steady relationship. Additionally, immigration history appeared as a potential resiliency factor, such that gay men who were not born in Israel reported less frequent doctor visits and less anxiety in comparison to heterosexual men who were not born in Israel. Conclusions This study presents a pioneering examination of physical and mental health disparities in an Israeli sample of middle-aged and older gay and heterosexual men. These results may call the attention of clinicians and policymakers to both vulnerabilities and strengths of middle-aged and older gay men.

Purpose: Health disparities among sexual minority men remain and continue to demand novel interventions. Other than risk reduction, a promising approach is to identify pathways to health-promoting behaviors. In this study, depressive symptoms, internalized homophobia, and sense of community connectedness were hypothesized to result from the experience of harassment and rejection, and in turn either promote or inhibit an individual's tendency toward health-promoting behaviors. We accounted for subgroup differences by examining the hypothesized model in gay and bisexual men separately. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey study. One thousand three hundred eighty-one gay (81.5%) and bisexual (18.5%) Taiwanese men 18-49 years of age (mean = 26.56, standard deviation = 6) were recruited through a social media advertisement and completed an online survey. Structural equation modeling was employed to simultaneously examine multiple hypothesized paths. Results: Harassment and rejection were associated with greater depressive symptoms, internalized homophobia, and sense of community connectedness, which in turn yielded direct or indirect associations with health-promoting behavior among gay men. For bisexual men, depressive symptoms remained an important mechanism linking harassment and rejection and health-promoting behavior, whereas the roles of internalized homophobia and sense of community connectedness appeared less obvious. Conclusion: These findings cast new light on the behavioral implications of minority stress and elucidate the possible underlying mechanisms. The study suggests that more effort should be invested to understand and promote the drivers of health-promoting behavior to reduce health disparities in this population.

The current study aimed to examine whether Israeli gay men reported higher interpersonal vulnerability in comparison with matched Israeli heterosexual men and to further assess the association between interpersonal vulnerability and depressive symptoms as a function of sexual orientation. Israeli gay men (N = 474) were individually matched with Israeli heterosexual men (N = 474) who completed measures of hostile-world scenario (HWS) in the interpersonal domain and depressive symptoms. Results indicated that gay men reported higher interpersonal vulnerability and higher depressive symptoms in comparison with heterosexual men. Also, a stronger positive association was found between interpersonal vulnerability and depressive symptoms among gay, in comparison with heterosexual, men. The findings may be explained in terms of minority stress, stigma, family and peer rejection, as well as discriminatory local policies regarding sexual minority rights, which serve as potential contributors to more interpersonal concerns and more depressive symptoms among gay, in comparison with heterosexual, men.

A growing number of studies has shown that gay and bisexual men are more likely to experience adverse mental health status than their heterosexual counterparts. Stigma-related stress and self-criticism are believed likely to exacerbate depressive symptoms among gay and bisexual men. This research used cross-sectional findings to illustrate the mediating role of internalized self-stigma and self-criticism in the association between perceived public stigma and depressive symptoms. A total of 317 Chinese gay and bisexual men (267 gays and 50 bisexuals with a mean age of 25.29) were invited to participate in this study from October to November 2021. Sociodemographic characteristics, perceived public stigma, internalized self-stigma, self-criticism and depressive symptoms were measured through self-reported online questionnaires. The results indicated that the association between perceived public stigma and depressive symptoms was sequentially mediated by internalized self-stigma and self-criticism. The findings indicated that public stigma, as a distal stressor, was perceived and internalized as self-stigma by gay and bisexual men. This self-stigma may pose a risk for depressive symptoms via self-criticism (a maladaptive consequence of their attempts to reduce cognitive dissonance). These results highlight the necessity of reducing sexual minority-related stigma and self-criticism to reduce depressive symptoms. Our findings appeal to society to further decrease prejudice and stigma, increase tolerance, and focus on the negative mental health status of gay and bisexual men.

The link between gender nonconformity and psychopathology may be due in part to negative childhood experiences resulting from other people’s reactions to gender nonconformity. The aim of this study was to test whether recalled perceived levels of parental and peer acceptance of childhood gender nonconforming behaviors and play mediate the relationship of childhood gender nonconformity with depression and social anxiety in adulthood. We also tested whether this relationship was moderated by sexual orientation and, among gay men, whether internalized homophobia was an additional mediator. All variables were measured in a large sample of male participants using self-report (n = 449 gay men, age: M = 27.8 years, SD = 6.69; and n = 296 heterosexual men, age: M = 27.4 years, SD = 6.57) in Poland. Gay men reported more childhood gender nonconformity than heterosexual men. The relationship between gender nonconformity and depressive symptoms as well as social anxiety symptoms was significant in both gay and heterosexual men. Among gay men, this relationship was partially mediated by peer but not parental acceptance of the measured aspects of gender nonconformity and internalized homophobia. Among heterosexual men, recalled perceived parental acceptance of gender nonconformity partially mediated the relationship between gender nonconformity and depressive and social anxiety symptoms. Our findings were partially in line with those found in Western European and North American samples. Although the two groups differed in their recalled perceived gender nonconformity, they did not differ in their depression or social anxiety scores. Nevertheless, childhood gender nonconformity may be an indirect risk associated with mental health symptoms, irrespective of sexual orientation. Its higher prevalence among nonheterosexual individuals makes it a particular risk for this group.

ABSTRACTThe present study examined the moderating role of extraversion on the relationship between depressive symptoms and the resilience factors of social support and emotional openness (the ability to accept and process one's emotion) among gay men. Extraversion, social support, and emotional openness were all associated with lower depressive symptoms. Extraversion did not moderate the relationship between social support and depressive symptoms among gay men. Extraversion moderated the relationship between emotional openness and depressive symptoms, such that emotional openness was associated with fewer depressive symptoms, particularly among gay men with a lower level of extraversion. Clinical implications are discussed.

Interpersonal vulnerability among offspring of Holocaust survivors gay men and its association with depressive symptoms and life satisfaction

Researchers have demonstrated that age is related to depression among gay men and lesbians, with younger adults experiencing more depression than older adults. Other researchers have indicated that a sense of belonging is related to lower levels of depression. This study investigated whether sense of belonging to the gay and lesbian community moderates and mediates the relationship between age and depressive symptoms among gay men and lesbians. An Australian sample of self-identified gay men (n = 346) and lesbians (n = 270) completed the Psychological subscale of the Sense of Belonging Instrument and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Results indicated that age and sense of belonging were directly and independently related to depressive symptoms for gay men and lesbians. In addition, for lesbians only, sense of belonging moderated the age-depressive symptom relation. For lesbians with low levels of sense belonging to the lesbian community, age was not associated with depressive symptoms. In contrast, for lesbians with high levels of sense of belonging to the lesbian community, the association between sense of belonging and depressive symptoms decreased with increasing age. Encouraging gay men and lesbians (especially younger lesbians) to become involved in the gay and lesbian community is likely to be beneficial for their mental health.

The current study aimed to compare Israeli gay men and lesbian women with their heterosexual counterparts on their physical self-concept (PSC) and to further assess the association between PSC and depressive symptoms as a function of sexual orientation. Gay men (n = 142) were compared with heterosexual men (n = 90), and lesbian women (n = 82) were compared with heterosexual women (n = 214), all of whom who completed measures of PSC and depressive symptoms. Results indicated that gay men reported lower positive PSC in comparison to heterosexual men, whereas no differences emerged between lesbian and heterosexual women on PSC. Also, a stronger negative association was found between PSC and depressive symptoms among gay, in comparison to heterosexual, men whereas no moderation for sexual orientation was found for women. The findings may be explained in terms of the social environment surrounding gay men which places an emphasis on the body and appearance, as well as in terms of gender role socialization and communication regarding the prime role of physical appearance for women, regardless of sexual orientation. The PSC vulnerability that emerges for gay men in our study seems particularly relevant to mental health professionals working with sexual minorities.

Gay and bisexual men are at increased risk for mood and anxiety (internalizing) disorders relative to heterosexual men. Rejection sensitivity (RS), or the anxious expectation of rejection, is associated with depression and social anxiety symptoms among lesbians and gay men as well as generalized anxiety symptoms among sexual minority women. However, it remains unclear if it is associated with other internalizing symptoms, such as panic and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Further, research on the comorbidity of mental disorders suggests that a latent transdiagnostic internalizing factor (INT) accounts for the co-occurrences between mood and anxiety disorders. Although previous research has found that the associations between discrimination and mental disorders can be explained by INT, research has yet to examine if this extends to the associations between RS and internalizing symptoms. Using a sample of young gay and bisexual men (N = 101), we examined the associations between RS and internalizing symptoms (depression, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, panic, and posttraumatic stress). Additionally, we examined the extent to which these associations were mediated by INT. Results indicated that RS was significantly associated with social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms, and that INT fully mediated these associations. As such, findings support RS as a transdiagnostic risk factor for internalizing symptoms among gay and bisexual men.