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
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