Microaggressions and depressive symptoms in sexual minority youth 

Kaufman, Baams, Dubas 

Abstract  

Verschillen in mentale gezondheid tussen seksuele minderheidsjongeren en heteroseksuele jongeren worden vaak verklaard door discriminatie en ervaren afwijzing. Hoewel veel studies zich richten op expliciete discriminatie, zijn de gevolgen van subtiele, dagelijkse discriminatie (“microaggressie”) van seksuele minderheidsjongeren onbekend. In een online studie onder 267 Nederlandse seksuele minderheidsjongeren (16-22 jaar oud) onderzochten wij de samenhang tussen seksuele microagressie en depressieve symptomen via emotie-regulatie (piekeren) en of deze gebufferd kon worden door sociale steun gericht op seksualiteit. Ervaringen met microaggressie waren indirect gerelateerd aan depressieve symptomen, via piekeren. Daarnaast vonden wij dat sociale steun deze verbanden niet bufferde. De bevindingen vragen om bewustwording van de mogelijk negatieve impact van subtiele discriminerende ervaringen, naast expliciete discriminatie, en de mogelijke negatieve gevolgen voor de mentale gezondheid die ontstaan als gevolg van emotionele dysregulatie zoals piekeren. 

Intro  

Sexual minority or lesbian, gay and bisexual youth report more depression, self-harm and suicidality compared to heterosexual youth. Mental health disparities are often explained using the minority stress framework: result of chronic exposure to stigma-related stressors, such as prejudice. But what about subtle everyday discriminations? > this study wants to find out! This study also investigates the role of sexuality-specific support. 

Minority stress and depressive symptoms 

Minority stress framework: members of sexual minority groups are chronically exposed to stigma-related stressors related to one's sexual minority group. Social stress theory: stigma-related prejudice evokes stress that leads to adverse mental health outcomes, such as depression. 

Microaggression experiences and psychological well-being 

Microaggressions: ‘brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, and environmental indignities, whether intentional and unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative LGBT slights and assaults to the target group or person.’ Microaggressions may be especially stressful because their subtle character makes them socially legitimized. In addition, microaggressions may lack the intensity of blatant prejudice, but have a repetitive, day-to-day nature.  

Studies suggest that microaggression experiences can have a negative impact on youth's mental health (emotional distress, depression, frustration).  It is currently unknown whether microaggression experiences are also related to more severe psychological disturbances, such as depressive symptoms. 

Microaggressions, rumination and depressive symptoms 

Brooding: a type of ruminative emotion regulation, which is characterized by a focus on stress symptoms and its possible causes and consequences, as opposed to possible solutions to the problem. People who are stigmatized are thought to manage their devalued social identity and the required effort may diminish the resources they need to adaptively regulate their emotions. 

Explicit forms of victimization is linked to rumination among sexual minority young and older adults. Moreover, research has shown that rumination explains the relation between explicit discrimination and psychological distress in sexual minority youth. 

Potential buffers of the relation between microaggression experiences and depressive  symptoms 

Although social support can, in general, facilitate youth's adjustment, it has been suggested that social support functions best when it addresses the specific problems at hand. Previous research has shown that support directed at youth's sexual orientation can protect them from the negative impact of explicit prejudice. In addition, the impact of victimization on sexual minority adolescents’ distress has been shown to be buffered by having sexual minority friends. Further, feeling connected to the LGB community is linked to better mental health among sexual minority young and older adults.  

Sex differences 

Research has shown important mean-level sex differences in experiences with stigma-related stressors as well as in the relation between minority stress and depressive symptoms: gay males report more rejection and victimization, and lesbian females report more depressive symptoms.  

Results 

The results show that there were no differences in the key variables between male and female youth, sexual identity groups, and groups based on cultural background.  

Correlations: 

• For male youth, microaggression experiences was significantly related to higher levels of rumination, and depressive symptoms. 

• Higher levels of rumination were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. 

• None of the acceptance or LGBT community connectedness variables were associated with depressive symptoms among male youth. 

• Lower levels of father acceptance were associated with higher levels of rumination and microaggression experiences. 

• For female youth, microaggression experiences was significantly related to higher levels of rumination, and depressive symptoms. 

• Female youth with higher levels of rumination also reported higher levels of depressive symptoms 

• Peer acceptance (higher) was related to depressive symptoms (lower). 

• Peer acceptance was negatively related to rumination.  

• Higher levels of father, mother and peer acceptance were related to lower levels of microaggression experiences. 

• Age was related to lower levels of depressive symptoms 

Mediating role of rumination 

The model showed an indirect positive relation between microaggression experiences and depressive symptoms, through rumination. As expected, higher levels of microaggression experiences were related to higher levels of rumination, and higher levels of rumination were related to higher levels of depressive symptoms.  

Moderating role of sexuality-specific acceptance and LGBT community connectedness 

Sexuality-specific acceptance from fathers, mothers, peers or connectedness with the LGBT community did not buffer the indirect relation between microaggression and depressive symptoms, through ruminative emotion regulation.  

Discussion 

In line with the hypotheses, stigma-related stressors (microaggressions) are indirectly related to sexual minority youth's depressive symptoms, through ruminative emotion regulation. By using the minority stress framework to explain the relation between day-to-day, subtle stigma-related stressors and mental health, the current study advances our understanding of mental health disparities among sexual minority youth. 

The role of ruminative emotion regulation 

The results of the current study show the indirect relation between microaggression experiences and depressive symptoms, through ruminative emotion regulation. Frequent experiences of stigma-related stressors can devalue youth's perception of their social identity and attempts to restore this identity may diminish the resources that are required for adaptive emotion regulation.  

No buffering role of sexuality-specific support 

Contrary to our hypothesis that sexuality-specific support would buffer the relation between microaggression experiences and depressive symptoms, we did not find a moderating effect of sexuality-specific support on the relation between microaggression experiences and depressive symptoms, neither directly nor indirectly. Possible explanations: 

• Perhaps a more comprehensive measure of sexuality-specific support is needed to examine its buffering role (for example: moments of acceptance might be separated in time by many years). 

• It may be important that parents and peers not only show acceptance of sexual orientation, but that they also show support for romantic and sexual relationships or active involvement in communities that can accompany the disclosure of same-sex attractions or a sexual minority identity. 

• We miss vital information on the relational context in which support was embedded. The relationship quality that youth have with their sources of support, as well as the structural aspects of that relationship may be important to consider in future research on the function of sexuality-specific social support.