Abstract
This study examined factors related to the quality of life (QOL) of gay and bisexual men during emerging adulthood in Taiwan. The factors included traditional harassment (e.g., verbal ridicule, relational exclusion, physical aggression, and theft of belongings), cyber harassment, sex- and gender-related factors (e.g., sexual orientation, age at initial identification of sexual orientation, self-reported level of gender nonconformity, and perceived social acceptance toward homosexuality and bisexuality), and demographic characteristics. In total, 305 Taiwanese gay and bisexual men, aged 20–25 years, were recruited. Their QOL, traditional harassment, and cyber harassment data were collected using the World Health Organization Questionnaire on Quality of Life: Short Form, School Bullying Experience Questionnaire, and Cyberbullying Experiences Questionnaire, respectively. In total, 60.3%, 34.4%, 28.2%, and 29.5% of the participants reported experiencing traditional harassment, cyber harassment, traditional harassment across multiple contexts, and harassment in multiple forms, respectively. Both traditional and cyber harassment were significantly associated with lower QOL. Individuals who experienced traditional harassment across multiple contexts and harassment in multiple forms had lower QOL in nearly all domains than did individuals who had experienced traditional harassment in a single context and harassment of a single form. However, the QOL did not significantly differ between individuals who had experienced traditional harassment in a single context and nonvictims nor between individuals who had experienced harassment of a single form and nonvictims. Lower education level, older age at initial identification of sexual orientation, higher perception of gender nonconformity, and lower perceived social acceptance toward homosexuality and bisexuality were significantly associated with lower QOL. Clinical and public health professionals should consider these factors when developing programs to enhance the QOL of gay and bisexual men.
Highlights
Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people are more likely to experience physical and mental illnesses and subsequent disability than are heterosexual people [1, 2]
The results indicated that lower levels of peceived social acceptance toward homosexuality and bisexuality and traditional and cyber harassment victimization were significantly associated with lower Quality of life (QOL) in all four domains, whereas higher levels of self-reported masculinity were significantly associated with higher QOL on all four domains
The results indicated that later identification of sexual orientation; lower levels of education, self-reported masculinity, and perceived social acceptance toward homosexuality and bisexuality; and experience of cyber harassment were associated with lower QOL in the physical and psychological domains
Summary
Gay, and bisexual (LGB) people are more likely to experience physical and mental illnesses and subsequent disability than are heterosexual people [1, 2]. This study examined QOL-related factors including traditional harassment (e.g., verbal ridicule, relational exclusion, physical aggression, and theft of belongings), cyber harassment, sexual and gender-role factors (e.g., sexual orientation, age at initial identification of sexual orientation, self-reported level of masculinity, and perceived social acceptance toward homosexuality or bisexuality), and demographic characteristics in gay and bisexual men during emerging adulthood in Taiwan. According to the theory of minority stress, experiences of traditional and cyber harassment are significantly associated with lower QOL in gay and bisexual men during emerging adulthood. Compared with those experiencing traditional harassment in single contexts and harassment of a single form, gay and bisexual men experiencing traditional harassment across multiple. Lower educational level, identifying as a gay man (compared with identification as a bisexual man), early identification of sexual orientation, lower perception of masculinity, and lower perceived social acceptance toward the LGB community in society are significantly associated with lower QOL
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