Social Support and Depressive Symptoms Among Men and Women With Same-Sex Experiences in Later Life.

Abstract

Social support is a vital psychological health resource for well-being in later life. However, research on the associations of social support has largely excluded sexual minorities. This study compares the association between sources of social support and depressive symptoms across groups of older heterosexual and sexual minority men and women. Sexual minority status herein is based on self-reported sexual histories of having same-sex and opposite-sex only experiences (SSE and OSO). Based on a pooled cross-sectional data set drawn from 3 waves of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, we used ordinary least squares regression and moderation tests to evaluate how 3 sources of social support-partner, family, friend-are related to depressive symptoms for SSE and OSO men and women. Results show OSO men and women both had significant negative associations between depressive symptoms and social support regardless of the source. SSE women, in contrast, only have a significant association between high levels of friend support, and SSE men only show significant effects in relation to high levels of partner support. These results suggest the effects of social support on psychological health are significantly constrained/circumscribed for sexual minority men and women. Interventions designed to decrease symptoms of depression in older sexual minorities through social support are discussed.