A National Survey on Depression, Internalized Homophobia, College Religiosity, and Climate of Acceptance on College Campuses for Sexual Minority Adults

Sexual minority persons have an increased risk for negative mental health outcomes in adulthood. This seems to largely be due to experiences of stigma in social settings. This study sought to understand the relationship between attending a religiously conservative college, internalized homophobia (a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of homosexuality 2020-03, Vol.67 (4), p.435-451
Main Authors: Heiden-Rootes, Katie, Wiegand, Ashley, Thomas, Danielle, Moore, Rachel M., Ross, Kristin A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acceptance
Adults
bisexual
College
Conservatism
depression
gay
Health problems
Health status
Homophobia
Internalization
internalized homophobia
Internet
lesbian
Mental depression
Mental health
Minority groups
Path analysis
Polls & surveys
Religiosity
Sexual behavior
sexual minority
Social environment
Stigma
Symptoms
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Summary:Sexual minority persons have an increased risk for negative mental health outcomes in adulthood. This seems to largely be due to experiences of stigma in social settings. This study sought to understand the relationship between attending a religiously conservative college, internalized homophobia (a measure of sexual stigma), and depressive symptoms for sexual minority adults. Sexual minority adult participants (n = 384) from across the U.S. were recruited and completed a Web-based, anonymous survey. A mediation model predicting depression through college religious conservatism, college acceptance of sexual minority identities, and internalized homophobia was tested using path analysis. Results revealed an indirect effect of increased religious conservatism of a college predicted higher depression through lower college acceptance and higher internalized homophobia. Implications for the mental health of sexual minority adults and future research are examined.
ISSN:0091-8369
1540-3602
DOI:10.1080/00918369.2018.1550329