Differences in Rape Acknowledgement and Mental Health Outcomes across Transgender, Non-binary, and Cisgender Bisexual Youth

Objective: The purpose of this study was to document the rates of rape acknowledgment (labeling rape as rape rather than using a minimizing label), and the corresponding mental health correlates using the minority stress framework in a unique and vulnerable sample: racially diverse sexual and gender minority young adults.Method: Participants were 245 young adults who identified their sexual orientation as under the bisexual umbrella. A total of 159 of these participants (65.2%) identified their gender identity as non-binary. All participants completed a series of online questionnaires regarding their sexual victimization history, mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder: PTSD), and constructs relevant to minority stress theory (level of outness, internalized bisexual negativity, connection to LGBTQ community).Results: Rape acknowledgment was significantly greater among gender non-binary participants (79.9%) than among trans and cisgender male participants (17.9%). Lack of rape acknowledgment was associated with increased anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Outness was significantly associated with greater rape acknowledgment. Conclusions: In spite of the highly increased vulnerability for sexual violence among sexual and gender minorities, very little is understood about the mechanisms of this increased vulnerability nor their unique needs for recovery. The results of this study strongly suggest the importance of a minority stress framework for understanding this increased vulnerability and for designing sexual violence prevention and recovery interventions for sexual and gender minority populations.

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Mental Health for Sexual and Gender Minority Couples and Families

The Oxford Handbook of Sexual and Gender Minority Mental Health ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190067991.013.32 ◽

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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Comparing the Impact of COVID-19-Related Social Distancing on Mood and Psychiatric Indicators in Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) and Non-SGM Individuals

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2020.590318 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Craig Rodriguez-Seijas ◽

Eric C. Fields ◽

Ryan Bottary ◽

Sarah M. Kark ◽

Michael R. Goldstein ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Health Disparities ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender

Empirical evidence demonstrates mental health disparities between sexual and gender minority individuals (SGM) compared with cisgender heterosexual individuals. SGM individuals report elevated rates of emotional distress, symptoms related to mood and anxiety disorders, self-harm, and suicidal ideation and behavior. Social support is inversely related to psychiatric symptoms, regardless of SGM status. The COVID-19 pandemic—with its associated limited social interactions—represents an unprecedented period of acute distress with potential reductions in accessibility of social support, which might be of particular concern for SGM individuals' mental well-being. In the present study, we explored the extent to which potential changes in mental health outcomes (depressive symptoms, worry, perceived stress, positive and negative affect) throughout the duration of the pandemic were related to differences in perceptions of social support and engagement in virtual social activity, as a function of SGM status. Utilizing a large sample of US adults (N = 1,014; 18% reported SGM status), we assessed psychiatric symptoms, perceptions of social isolation, and amount of time spent socializing virtually at 3 time windows during the pandemic (between March 21 and May 21). Although SGM individuals reported greater levels of depression compared with non-SGM individuals at all 3 time points, there was no interaction between time and SGM status. Across all participants, mental health outcomes improved across time. Perceived social isolation was associated with poorer mental health outcomes. Further, time spent engaging in virtual socialization was associated with reduced depression, but only for those in self-reported quarantine. We discuss these results in terms of the nature of our sample and its impact on the generalizability of these findings to other SGM samples as well as directions for future research aimed at understanding potential health disparities in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Mental Health of Sexual and Gender Minority Oncology Patients: Synthesis of Recommendations for Advancing Health Equity

Annals of LGBTQ Public and Population Health ◽

10.1891/lgbtq-2021-0014 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 279-298

Author(s):

Kaitlin J. Huelsman ◽

Brittany J. Wright ◽

Jessica R. Vanderlan ◽

David H. Morris ◽

Amaris R. Tippey

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Cancer Care ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Health Concerns ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals are at increased risk for several health concerns, including those related to mental health. This increased risk, combined with the unique psychosocial challenges faced by SGM cancer patients, leads to disparities in mental health outcomes across the cancer care continuum. Despite these disparities, little to no resources (e.g. SGM groups, SGM cancer-related literature) exist within most cancer institutes to target SGM populations for appropriate cancer care, such as cancer prevention, accessible treatment, end-of-life, and survivorship concerns, which all may impact psychological wellbeing. This paper synthesizes existing recommendations, both general and cancer-specific, pertaining to the mental health concerns of SGM individuals with hope to provide a valuable resource for cancer institutes and providers on how to better address the unique mental health outcomes of SGM cancer patients. Additional input was obtained from stakeholders from a large, Midwestern, NCI-designated cancer center in an effort to expand our understanding of SGM cancer patients' needs. Through review of relevant guidelines and recommendations and feedback from stakeholder meetings, five broad areas of recommendation for improving SGM cancer care were identified: welcoming environment, patient education and support, community connections, standard approach to care, and research. Rooted in pertinent psychological constructs, each recommendation provides suggestions for increasing attention to SGM patients' psychosocial oncological needs. These recommendations seek to establish culturally inclusive and responsive climates where all SGM cancer patients feel valued and respected.

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Transdiagnostic Approaches to Sexual and Gender Minority Mental Health

10.31234/osf.io/7s9cr ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Craig Anthony Rodriguez-Seijas ◽

Nicholas R Eaton ◽

John E. Pachankis

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Minority Stress ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Great Promise ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Psychological Mechanisms ◽

Minority Mental Health ◽

Diagnostic Approaches ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender

Sexual and gender minority individuals experience minority stress, which is hypothesized to underlie the mental health disparities affecting these populations. Drawing on advances in mental disorder classification, we argue that transdiagnostic approaches hold great promise for understanding and reducing these disparities. In contrast to traditional diagnostic approaches, which have limited construct validity and produced a piecemeal literature, transdiagnostic approaches: (1) are evidence based, (2) account for diffuse patterns of disparities and comorbidity, (3) pinpoint psychological mechanisms linking minority stress to poor mental health, (4) reduce scientific stigma, and (5) serve as efficacious and efficient targets for transdiagnostic minority stress interventions.

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Sexual Assault and Co-Occurrence of Mental Health Outcomes Among Cisgender Female, Cisgender Male, and Gender Minority U.S. College Students

Journal of Adolescent Health ◽

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.03.040 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 67 (5) ◽

pp. 722-726

Author(s):

Nicholas J. Parr

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

College Students ◽

Sexual Assault ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Gender Minority ◽

And Gender

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Sexual and Gender Minority Stress Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for LGBTQ Young Persons’ Mental Health and Well-Being

Public Health Reports ◽

10.1177/0033354920954511 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 135 (6) ◽

pp. 721-727

Author(s):

John P. Salerno ◽

Jackson Devadas ◽

M Pease ◽

Bryanna Nketia ◽

Jessica N. Fish

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Minority Stress ◽

Well Being ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender ◽

Health And Well Being

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The Current Status of Sociopolitical and Legal Issues Facing Sexual and Gender Minority Youth

Adolescent Psychiatry ◽

10.2174/2210676611666211105120645 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Natalia Ramos ◽

Alexis Burgess ◽

Elizabeth Ollen

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Minority Stress ◽

Public Discourse ◽

Cultural Beliefs ◽

Legal Issues ◽

Current Status ◽

Legal Rights ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender

Background: Adolescents today have unprecedented and uninterrupted access to news and current events through broadcast and social media. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) adolescents may be especially cognizant of media and public discourse pertaining to law and policy changes affecting the legal rights of their communities. The minority stress framework explains how sociopolitical discourse impacts mental health among sexual and gender minority youths. Objectives: This paper identifies and describes contemporary sociopolitical and legal issues that may impact LGBTQ adolescents’ mental health. Methods: Authors describe the minority stress framework as applied to gender and sexual identity and explore key sociopolitical and legal topics relevant to LGBTQ adolescents, including employment; medical care bans; health insurance coverage; conversion therapy; religious exemptions in health care; housing rights; and rights in schools and school districts, including participation in sports. Results: LGBTQ youth experience rejection, prejudice, and discrimination directly through adverse legislative or administrative action and more pervasively through the dominant cultural beliefs and sociopolitical messaging that such developments manifest. Conclusion: Mental health clinicians who are aware of legal issues and sociopolitical debate pertinent to LGBTQ rights are better prepared to address their significant impact on LGBTQ adolescents’ mental health.

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Alcohol Use Disorders among Sexual and Gender Minority Populations

The Oxford Handbook of Sexual and Gender Minority Mental Health ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190067991.013.9 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 85-100

Author(s):

Phoenix R. Crane ◽

Katarina S. Swaringen ◽

Anthony M. Foster ◽

Amelia E. Talley

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Use ◽

Minority Stress ◽

Alcohol Use Disorder ◽

Alcohol Misuse ◽

Minority Populations ◽

Stress Theory ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender ◽

Alcohol Related Problems

Sexual and gender minority populations are at a heightened risk of developing alcohol-related problems, such as alcohol use disorder, compared to their heterosexual, cisgender counterparts. The present chapter presents recent prevalence rates of alcohol use disorder and examines how relations among sexual orientation, gender, and alcohol use are influenced by mechanisms relevant to minority stress theory, the intersectionality framework, and other social factors such as racism, sexism, homophobia, sexual victimization, and stigma. This chapter also explores available intervention and treatment initiatives for alcohol misuse in sexual and gender minority populations, suggesting empirically informed approaches to maximize the effectiveness of tailored programs.

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The Intersections of Physical and Mental Health among Sexual and Gender Minority Populations

The Oxford Handbook of Sexual and Gender Minority Mental Health ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190067991.013.34 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 379-393

Author(s):

Michele J. Eliason

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Minority Stress ◽

Minority Populations ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Future Directions ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Adverse Childhood Events ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender

There is considerable evidence of health disparities among sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations in the areas of physical health and disability, mental health and suicidality, substance use and abuse, and access to care. However, little research has considered the possibility that disorders might concentrate in subgroups of SGMs with the greatest levels of minority stress over time or those who have experienced the greatest number of adverse childhood events. This chapter examines the scant evidence that physical and mental health disorders coexist in some SGM individuals and offers some critique of the existing research. Future directions for research are proposed.

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