Research Study Findings Summary

Mental Health among Sexual Minority Adults

Jayde Glass and Marjolein Manamperi

Supervised by Professor Suzanne McLaren

Co-Investigator: Associate Professor Clifford Lewis

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and bi+ adults experience higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms than heterosexual adults. Within sexual minority adults, bisexual and bi+ adults are more likely to experience anxiety and depressive symptoms. Research indicates that among sexual minority individuals, sexual identity concealment and internalised binegativity are minority stressors associated with depression and anxiety. Self-compassion, the extent to which we are kind to ourselves when experiencing difficulties, is a protective factor associated with better mental health. A key limitation of previous studies is the use of a total score, rather than recognising self-compassion consists of a protective factor (self-warmth) and a risk factor (self-coldness). Belonging to the LGBTQA+ community is another protective factor for the mental health of sexual minority adults. Most research into sexual minority mental health has either examined the LGBTQA+ community as a whole or focused on gay men, overlooking potential differences between genders and sexualities.

This study aimed to test theoretical models examining the relationships between risk and protective factors and mental health.

An international sample of 878 women, 813 men, and 599 gender-diverse individuals aged 18 to 73 years completed an online survey. This survey included the Self-Compassion Scale, the LGBTQA+ Belongingness Attainment Scale, the Sexual Orientation Concealment Scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, the Centre for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, and, depending on sexual identity, either the Internalised Heterosexism scale or the Internalised Binegativity Subscale of the Bisexual Identity Inventory.

Key Findings

To date, the responses from bisexual and bi+ women have been analysed and presented in the dissertations by Jayde and Marjolein.

1. Jayde’s dissertation examined whether sexual identity concealment is associated with increased depressive symptoms through lowered levels of sense of belonging to the LGBTQA+ community among bisexual and bi+ cisgender and transgender women. This model was not supported. Most (72%) of the sample of bisexual and bi+ women had clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms. Bi+ women scored higher on sense of belonging to the LGBTQA+ community than bisexual women. Higher levels of concealment of sexual identity were associated with increased depressive symptoms for bisexual women but not bi+ women. Interventions which aim to reduce concealment of sexual identity would likely reduce depressive symptoms among bisexual women. We need to identify other ways to reduce depressive symptoms among bi+ women.
2. Marjolein’s dissertation focused on how self-coldness and self-warmth influence the relationship between internalised binegativity and anxiety symptoms among bisexual and bi+ transgender and cisgender women. Almost half the sample of women (45%) reported clinically significant levels of anxiety symptoms. Unexpectedly, self-coldness did not strengthen the association between internalised binegativity and anxiety, and self-warmth did not weaken this association. Self-coldness was strongly associated with anxiety symptoms among sexual minority women. Interventions that focus on reducing self-coldness among bisexual and bi+ women would likely have a beneficial impact on their mental health.

Data provided by men and nonbinary people will be analysed by Professor McLaren and Associate Professor Clifford Lewis in the coming months. Participants interested in these findings can contact Professor McLaren.

Further Information

For further Information, including findings on men and nonbinary adults when available, can be sought by contacting:

Professor Suzanne McLaren

School of Psychology

Charles Sturt University

7 Major Innes Road

PORT MACQUARIE NSW 2444

Tel: +61 2 6582 9459

Email: smclaren@csu.edu.au