The impacts of hate violence on the adrenocortical functioning, psychosocial adjustment, and mental health of ethnically/racially diverse LGBQ young adults

Abstract

Experiences of heterosexist and racist discrimination, sexuality-based victimization, and vicarious exposure to hate violence constitute pervasive and severe sources of social stress that adversely impact diurnal patterns of adrenocortical functioning (via salivary cortisol) and have enduring effects on the mental health of ethnically/racially diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) young adults. Yet, little is known about how these experiences of minority stress are associated with diurnal adrenocortical and psychological functioning among ethnically/racially diverse LGBQ young adults. In three unique studies guided through the application of the intersectionality, minority stress, and allostatic load frameworks, we examined 1) whether sexuality-based peer victimization and diurnal adrenocortical patterns predicted contemporaneous depressive symptoms and trajectories of depressive symptoms; 2) whether experiences of heterosexist and racist discrimination were associated with disruptions to diurnal adrenocortical patterns and challenges to identity integration; and 3) whether diurnal adrenocortical responses in the days following the Pulse nightclub massacre on June 12, 2016 varied in a time-dependent manner. Data used in these studies were from the the Sexual Orientation and Psychosocial Adjustment Study, collected in Northern California. Overall, the findings suggested that direct and indirect experiences of hate violence adversely impacted diurnal adrenocortical functioning, psychosocial processes related multiply marginalized identity integration, and mental health. These physiological responses to discrimination, victimization, and violent crimes support policy efforts to protect vulnerable communities, including violence prevention, gun control, and community-based trauma response services for those directly and indirectly affected by hate violence and gun violence.