The Impact of Sexual Minority Stigma on Depression: the Roles of Resilience and Family Support

Abstract

Compared with heterosexual individuals, sexual minorities who experienced sexual minority stigma had greater risks for psychopathology. Drawn from the psychological mediation framework, this study focused on the psychological mechanisms of resilience and family support through which sexual minority stigma affected depressive symptoms among sexual minorities in China. In 2019, 301 LGBTQ individuals (10.78% lesbian, 56.21% gay, 21.24% bisexual, 20.93% others; 66.11% males, 25.91% females, 7.97% others) aged between 18 and 42 participated in an online survey in China. The survey assessed their minority stress, resilience, family support, and depressive symptoms. Data were analyzed using path analysis. Sexual minority stigma was negatively related to resilience and family support while positively related to depression. Resilience and family support were negatively associated with depression. Path analysis indicated that resilience and family support mediated the relationship between sexual minority stigma and depression. The findings revealed the underlying mechanisms of how sexual minority stigma developed into depression. Both resilience and family support mediated the relationship between sexual minority stigma and depression. Future interventions could target both factors to alleviate the negative impact of sexual minority stigma on the mental health of Chinese sexual minorities. More interventions are needed to address mental health disparities in Chinese LGBTQ individuals who suffered from sexual minority stigma. Building up resilience of and cultivating family support for sexual minorities should be prioritized in the implementation of social policies in accordance with the Healthy China 2030 agenda.