Psychology of sexual orientation and gender diversity 

About: Psychology of sexual orientation and gender diversity is an academic journal published by American Psychological Association. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Transgender & Sexual orientation. It has an ISSN identifier of 2329-0382. Over the lifetime, 519 publications have been published receiving 15110 citations.

Prejudice, Social Stress, and Mental Health in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations: Conceptual Issues and Research Evidence

Abstract: In this article the author reviews research evidence on the prevalence of mental disorders in lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals (LGBs) and shows, using meta-analyses, that LGBs have a higher prevalence of mental disorders than heterosexuals. The author offers a conceptual framework for understanding

Development of the Gender Minority Stress and Resilience Measure.

Abstract: Researchers currently lack a reliable and valid means of assessing minority stress and resilience factors in transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) people. This study was conducted to develop and evaluate the validity of a tool to better assess these constructs in TGNC populations. The Gender Minority Stress and Resilience (GMSR) measure was developed grounded on Meyer’s minority stress model, and adjusted to reflect the experiences of TGNC populations based on TGNC literature and archival data from TGNC focus groups. The final GMSR includes scales assessing 9 constructs: gender-related discrimination, gender-related rejection, gender-related victimization, nonaffirmation of gender identity, internalized transphobia, negative expectations for future events, nondisclosure, community connectedness, and pride. In the current study, 844 participants completed the GMSR measure as well as measures related to mental health, general life stress, and social support. Results indicated good model fit, criterion validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity for the 9 hypothesized scales. Discriminant validity for the scales were also partially supported. Overall, the current study offers preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of the GMSR Measure for use with TGNC populations. The GMSR Measure has several uses for both research and clinical purposes, including increasing understanding of the experiences and correlates of gender minority stress and resilience factors and assessing whether specific therapies or interventions are helpful in reducing risk and supporting resilience in TGNC populations.

Resilience in the Study of Minority Stress and Health of Sexual and Gender Minorities

Abstract: Research in various populations has shown that, starting early in childhood, individuals often demonstrate resilience in the face of stress and adversity. Against the experience of minority stress, LGBT people mount coping responses and most survive and even thrive despite stress. But research on resilience in LGBT populations has lagged. In this commentary, I address 2 broad issues that I have found wanting of special exploration in LGBT research on resilience: First, I note that resilience, like coping, is inherently related to minority stress in that it is an element of the stress model. Understanding resilience as a partner in the stress to illness causal chain is essential for LGBT health research. Second, I explore individual- versus community-based resilience in the context of minority stress. Although individual and community resilience should be seen as part of a continuum of resilience, it is important to recognize the significance of community resilience in the context of minority stress.

Multiple Minority Stress and LGBT Community Resilience among Sexual Minority Men

Abstract: Minority stress theory has widespread research support in explaining health disparities experienced by sexual and gender minorities. However, less is known about how minority stress impacts multiply marginalized groups, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people of color (LGBT POC). Also, although research has documented resilience in the face of minority stress at the individual level, research is needed that examines macro-level processes such as community resilience (Meyer, 2015). In the current study, we integrate minority stress theory and intersectionality theory to examine multiple minority stress (i.e., racial/ethnic stigma in LGBT spaces and LGBT stigma in one's neighborhood) and community resilience (i.e., connection to LGBT community) among sexual minority men of different racial/ethnic groups who use a geosocial networking application for meeting sexual partners. Results showed that Black sexual minority men reported the highest levels of racial/ethnic stigma in LGBT spaces and White sexual minority men reported the lowest levels, with Asian and Hispanic/Latino men falling in between. Consistent with minority stress theory, racial/ethnic stigma in LGBT spaces and LGBT stigma in one's neighborhood were associated with greater stress for sexual minority men of all racial/ethnic groups. However, connection to LGBT community played more central role in mediating the relationship between stigma and stress for White than POC sexual minority men. Results suggest that minority stress and community resilience processes may differ for White and POC sexual minority men. Potential processes driving these differences and implications for minority stress theory are discussed.

Resilience and collective action: Exploring buffers against minority stress for transgender individuals.

Abstract: With a national sample of 552 transgender adults, the present study tested hypotheses drawn from minority stress theory and positive psychology research on stress-ameliorating processes. Specifically, the present study examined the relations of minority stressors (i.e., antitransgender discrimination, stigma awareness, and internalized transphobia) and individualand group-level buffers (i.e., resilience and collective action) of minority stress. As expected, each minority stressor was positively correlated with psychological distress. In terms of buffers, resilience—though not collective action—was negatively correlated with psychological distress. Additionally, stigma awareness—but not internalized transphobia—mediated the relation of antitransgender discrimination with higher psychological distress. Moderation analyses indicated that resilience did not moderate any of the relations of the minority stressors with psychological distress. However, contrary to prediction, collective action strengthened the positive relation of internalized transphobia with psychological distress. Furthermore, at high levels of collective action, internalized transphobia became a significant mediator of the discrimination-distress relation. Strategies for developing individual (e.g., resilience building strategies) and group-level (e.g., engagement in collective action) interventions targeted toward transgender individuals who experience discrimination are discussed.