scholarly journals Couple-Level Minority Stress and Mental Health among People in Same-Sex Relationships: Extending Minority Stress Theory

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 276-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen J. LeBlanc ◽  
David M. Frost
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Stress Theory ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
Minority Stress Theory

We simultaneously examined the effects of individual- and couple-level minority stressors on mental health among people in same-sex relationships. Individual-level minority stressors emerge from the stigmatization of sexual minority individuals; couple-level minority stressors emerge from the stigmatization of same-sex relationships. Dyadic data from 100 same-sex couples from across the United States were analyzed with actor–partner interdependence models. Couple-level stigma was uniquely associated with nonspecific psychological distress, depressive symptomatology, and problematic drinking, net the effects of individual-level stigma and relevant sociodemographic controls. Analyses also show that couple-level minority stress played unique roles in critical stress processes of minority stress proliferation: minority stress expansion and minority stress contagion. The inclusion of couple-level stress constructs represents a useful extension of minority stress theory, enriching our capacity to deepen understandings of minority stress experience and its application in the study of well-being and health inequalities faced by vulnerable populations.

scholarly journals Couple-level Minority Stress: An Examination of Same-sex Couples’ Unique Experiences

2017 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Frost ◽  
Allen J. LeBlanc ◽  
Brian de Vries ◽  
Eli Alston-Stepnitz ◽  
Rob Stephenson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
San Francisco ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Cumulative Impact ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
The Individual

Social stress resulting from stigma, prejudice, and discrimination—“minority stress”—negatively impacts sexual minority individuals’ health and relational well-being. The present study examined how being in a same-sex couple can result in exposure to unique minority stressors not accounted for at the individual level. Relationship timeline interviews were conducted with 120 same-sex couples equally distributed across two study sites (Atlanta and San Francisco), gender (male and female), and relationship duration (at least six months but less than three years, at least three years but less than seven years, and seven or more years). Directed content analyses identified 17 unique couple-level minority stressors experienced within nine distinct social contexts. Analyses also revealed experiences of dyadic minority stress processes (stress discrepancies and stress contagion). These findings can be useful in future efforts to better understand and address the cumulative impact of minority stress on relational well-being and individual health.

Minority Stress Theory and Internalized Prejudice

2019 ◽  
pp. 103-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Crawford ◽  
Lisa Sangermano ◽  
Nhi-Ha T. Trinh
Keyword(s):  
Minority Stress ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Dominant Culture ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Stress Theory ◽  
Psychological Constructs ◽  
Prejudice And Discrimination ◽  
Minority Stress Theory

Minority groups within the United States continuously endure stress placed upon them by the dominant culture. The ongoing stresses of racism, prejudice, and discrimination have lasting and deleterious effects on minorities’ physical and emotional well-being. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the concept of minority stress theory and describe the various sociological and psychological constructs contributing to its development. We then examine the various elements of internalized prejudice, review validated measurement scales used to quantify internalized prejudice in minority populations, and present evidence on the role of internalized prejudice in a number of psychiatric conditions. We discuss the concept of intersectionality and its implications for mental health. At the end of this chapter, we provide clinical recommendations to address the complexities of minority stress theory and internalized prejudice in psychiatric illness.

scholarly journals Are “Gay” and “Queer-Friendly” Neighborhoods Healthy? Assessing How Areas with High Densities of Same-Sex Couples Impact the Mental Health of Sexual Minority and Majority Young Adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 181-200
Author(s):  
Chris Wienke ◽  
Rachel B. Whaley ◽  
Rick Braatz
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
Neighborhood Contexts ◽  
Using Data

AbstractNeighborhoods with large concentrations of gay men, lesbians, and other sexual minorities have long served as places where sexual minority young adults find self-enhancing resources. Yet, it is unclear whether such neighborhood environments also confer health benefits. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we explored the relationship between the proportion of same-sex couples in neighborhoods and the mental health of sexual minority and majority young adults, controlling for other neighborhood- and individual-level factors. Results indicate that for sexual minorities, neighborhoods with higher percentages of same-sex couples are associated with lower levels of depression symptoms and higher levels of self-esteem. Conversely, for heterosexuals, there are no differences in health outcomes across neighborhood contexts. Taken together, the findings highlight the importance of striving for neighborhood-level understandings of sexual minority young adults and their mental health problems.

scholarly journals Evaluating The Economic Impact Of Marriage Versus Cohabitation In Same-Sex Couples Age 50+

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 876-876
Author(s):  
Setarreh Massihzadegan ◽  
Jan Mutchler
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Security ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Same Sex Couples

Abstract Utilizing the first set of 5-year American Community Survey data available since the United States’ legalization of same-sex marriage in mid-2015, this poster investigates the economic security of older adults (age 50+) in same-sex marriages compared to those in same-sex partnerships who are cohabiting but not married. Viewed through the lens of cumulative disadvantage theory, we consider differences in the economic circumstances of same-sex couples by gender and by geographic location. Findings point to gender differences in economic well-being, but relatively few differences based on marital status. For example, rates of low income are somewhat higher among female couples than among their male counterparts, but marital status differences are not substantial. These findings suggest that the benefits of being married that have long been recognized among older adults may not extend equally to same-sex couples. Findings are discussed with respect to the emerging salience of marriage within the LGBTQ older community, future research opportunities, and important policy implications.

scholarly journals Masculinity and Depression: A Longitudinal Investigation of Multidimensional Masculine Norms Among College Men

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1873-1881 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek K. Iwamoto ◽  
Jennifer Brady ◽  
Aylin Kaya ◽  
Athena Park
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
College Men ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
First Year ◽  
Multiple Sexual Partners ◽  
Masculine Norms ◽  
First Year College

The transition from high school to college represents a pivotal developmental period that may result in significant maladjustment for first-year college men. Men may feel pressured to “prove” their masculinity by engaging in traditional masculine behaviors that could be negative for their overall well-being. Although adherence to multidimensional masculine norms has been associated with poorer mental health, no studies have examined the role of masculine norms on prospective depressive symptoms among first-year college men. Examining college men’s adherence to multidimensional masculine norms longitudinally can offer a promising theoretical framework to explain within-group variability in depression symptomatology. The sample included 322 men from the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Masculine norms were assessed during the beginning of their first year of college. Depressive symptomatology was assessed 6 months after the first wave of data collection. Masculine norms were positively and negatively related to prospective depression scores, such that men who endorsed the masculine norms of Self-Reliance, Playboy (i.e., desire to have multiple sexual partners), and Violence, had heightened risk, whereas men who endorsed Winning and Power Over Women were less likely to report depressive symptomatology. Distinct masculine norms appear to confer risk for depression while other norms appear to be protective. This study was the first to examine the role of multidimensional masculine norms on prospective depressive symptomatology among college men. The results suggest that practitioners working with men should consider assessing their clients’ adherence to distinct masculine norms and explore how these might be impacting their current mental health.

scholarly journals Making Migration Sexy: Immigrants in Same-Sex Couples in the United States

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Isaac Hoffmann ◽  
Kristopher Velasco
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Network Effects ◽  
Social Acceptance ◽  
The United States ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
The U.S

As same-sex couples gain greater social acceptance and new rights, their numbers in the United States are rapidly increasing. Yet few researchers have studied immigrants in same-sex couples on a large scale. Using the American Community Survey from 2008 to 2019, this study compares immigrants in same-sex couples to corresponding different-sex couples in order to characterize and assess the scale of “sexual migration” to the U.S. Moreover, we evaluate how the policy environment regarding same-sex couples shapes migratory patterns. We find that, compared to different-sex immigrant couples, immigrants in same-sex couples come from richer, more democratic countries that are less represented in immigrant networks. Fixed effects models show that as origin countries become more LGBT-friendly, we see more LGB immigrants from those countries in the U.S. On the individual level, immigrants in same-sex couples are more likely to live in progressive U.S. states, an effect that increases in strength as migrants come from for more LGBT-friendly countries of origin. Our findings put into question dominant models of migration that emphasize economic and network effects, suggesting the importance of considering sexuality as well as political and lifestyle motivations more broadly.

Application of the Minority Stress Theory: Understanding the Mental Health of Undocumented Latinx Immigrants

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 325-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mislael Valentín‐Cortés ◽  
Quetzabel Benavides ◽  
Richard Bryce ◽  
Ellen Rabinowitz ◽  
Raymond Rion ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Stress Theory ◽  
Minority Stress Theory

scholarly journals The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on same-sex couples’ conflict avoidance, relational quality, and mental health

2021 ◽  
pp. 026540752110061
Author(s):  
Yachao Li ◽  
Jennifer A. Samp
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Internalized Homophobia ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Conflict Avoidance ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
Mediational Role ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic has seriously impacted the management and trajectory of same-sex relationships. This study considered the mediational role of same-sex partners’ conflict avoidance and the moderating roles of individual and contextual vulnerability factors in the face of the pandemic. Results showed that greater adverse daily life impacts and higher perceived threat of COVID-19 predicted more complaint avoidance, which in turn predicted lower relationship satisfaction and higher anxiety, depression, and substance use. Being a person of color and having higher internalized homophobia exacerbated the pandemic’s negative effects on relationship satisfaction. While moving in with partners during the pandemic was related to more complaint avoidance, lower relational satisfaction, higher relationship termination intentions, and greater mental health risks, it also buffered the negative effects of the pandemic on relational well-being. Same-sex couples are encouraged to constructively solve relational issues and actively discuss moving in decisions. More efforts should be devoted to understanding multiple pandemic-related stressors facing same-sex couples.

Mental Health for Sexual and Gender Minority Couples and Families

2020 ◽  
pp. 355-368
Author(s):  
Samantha L. Tornello
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Stress Theory ◽  
Gender Minority ◽  
Related Stigma ◽  
Sexual And Gender Minority ◽  
And Gender

The majority of sexual and gender minority (SGM) people want to be in a romantic relationship and desire parenthood in the future. SGM couples and parents often have similar experiences compared to their cisgender heterosexual peers; however, SGM people experience higher rates of mental health challenges. For SGM people, romantic partners buffer the negative impacts of sexual and gender-related stigma, along with providing social support that is lacking from family, friends, and the wider community. According to minority stress theory, sexual and gender-related negative experiences can be detrimental to the well-being of SGM individuals, with particularly distinctive influences on SGM couples and parents. Understanding the couple and co-parenting dynamics and experiences of SGM couples provides great insight into how to improve the mental health outcomes of all SGM people. This chapter will explore the experiences of SGM couples and parents, examine the positive and negative influences on mental health, and discuss ways to improve the experiences of SGM people through the context of romantic and co-parenting relationships.

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