Perceived discrimination and well-being in gay men: the protective role of behavioural identification

Abstract

Gay men regularly experience both individual and structural prejudice and discrimination, which have been shown to negatively impact well-being. The current study examined the potentially protective role of behavioural identification, a dimension of group identity, as a mediator of the relationship between perceived discrimination and well-being among gay men. The results revealed that behavioural identification mediated a positive indirect relationship between perceived discrimination and self-esteem, suppressing the negative association between these two variables. A similar pattern of results was obtained for positive affect. Implications of these results with regard to public policies targeting gay men are addressed.