scholarly journals Sexual orientation, peer relationships, and depressive symptoms: Findings from a sociometric design

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
pp. 101086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaïm la Roi ◽  
Tina Kretschmer ◽  
René Veenstra ◽  
Henny Bos ◽  
Luc Goossens ◽  
...  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S303-S304
Author(s):  
Arne Stinchcombe ◽  
Nicole G Hammond ◽  
Kimberley Wilson

Abstract Sexual minority older adults face minority stressors that are associated with higher rates of mental illness. The stress buffering effects of social support within majority populations are well documented. Using a large population-based sample of aging Canadians, we sought to examine the relationship between sexual orientation and depressive symptoms, and determine whether this relationship is moderated by social support and sex. Baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) were used (n = 46147). Participants were between the ages of 45-85 years at time of recruitment (mean age = 62.46, SD = 10.27), and self-reported their sexual orientation as heterosexual or lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) (2.1%). Social support and depressive symptoms were measured using validated instruments. Four functional social support subscales were derived: tangible, positive social interaction, affectionate, and emotional/informational. Multiple linear regression models adjusted for relevant covariates were conducted. LGB identification was associated with greater depressive symptoms when compared to heterosexual participants (p = 0.032). As evidenced by a significant 3-way interaction (p = 0.030), increasing tangible social support was associated with a corresponding decrease in the risk of depressive symptoms; this relationship was most pronounced for lesbian and bisexual women. A significant 2-way interaction (p = 0.040) revealed that as emotional/informational social support increased, depressive symptoms decreased, with greater disparity between LGB and heterosexual participants at lower levels of social support. The results highlight the importance of social support in promoting mental health, especially among sexual minority older adults.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoe Caplan

The author uses a nationally representative sample of cisgender young adults to examine the relationship between sexual orientation concordance and the prevalence of depressive symptoms. In these analyses, the author differentiates between those with an exclusive identity (100 percent gay or 100 percent straight) and those with a nonexclusive identity (“mostly gay,” “mostly straight,” or bisexual). Among those with an exclusive identity, the author differentiates between those with behavior and attraction that is in line with (concordant) or goes against (discordant) a claimed gay or straight identity. Those with a concordant sexual orientation report significantly lower depressive symptoms scores than do those with either a discordant sexual orientation or a nonexclusive identity. When accounting for orientation, concordance is significantly associated with depressive symptoms for straight- but not gay-identified young adults. These findings generally hold for women, but not for men when change in identity is controlled for.


2020 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew K. Grace

Members of structurally disadvantaged social groups report more frequent exposure to a variety of negative life events and chronic strains, yet little research has examined whether similar patterns exist for anticipatory stressors, or challenging circumstances that loom as potential threats in the future. This study uses data collected as part of a national survey of college seniors (N = 995) to examine how anticipatory stress regarding economic and residential security, exposure to traumatic events, and experiences of discrimination vary by gender identity, race-ethnicity, sexual orientation, and first-generation college student status. Consistent with stress theory, anticipatory stressors are more commonly reported by members of disadvantaged groups. Notably, variation in anticipatory stressors explains a nontrivial proportion of differences in depressive symptoms found across gender identity and sexual orientation categories. Findings signal the necessity of incorporating anticipatory stressors into research in the stress paradigm to further disentangle the contributions of social stressors to health disparities.


2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer E. Lansford ◽  
Cristina Capanna ◽  
Kenneth A. Dodge ◽  
Gian Vittorio Caprara ◽  
John E. Bates ◽  
...  

This study examined the role of low social preference in relation to subsequent depressive symptoms, with particular attention to prior depressive symptoms, prior and concurrent aggression, mutual friendships, and peer victimization. Italian children ( N = 288) were followed from grade 6 through grade 8, and American children ( N = 585) were followed from kindergarten through grade 12. Analyses demonstrate that low social preference contributes to later depressive symptoms. The effects are not accounted for by depressive symptoms or aggression experienced prior to low social preference but are mostly accounted for by the co-occurrence of depressive symptoms with concurrent aggressive behavior; gender, mutual friendships, and peer victimization generally did not moderate these associations. We conclude that peer relationship problems do predict later depressive symptoms, and a possible mechanism through which this effect occurs is through the effect of poor peer relationships on increasing aggressive behavior, which is associated with depressive symptoms.


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