Mental health disparities between lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals

Randolph Chun Ho CHAN, Winnie MAK

Research output: Contribution to conferencePapers

Abstract

While earlier studies have indicated that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals are at greater risk of developing psychopathology than heterosexual individuals, limited attention has been paid to the mental health disparities within LGB populations. The present study examined and compared the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and flourishing among 931 cisgender LGB individuals. Results showed that bisexual individuals had greater odds of depression and anxiety, and lower odds of flourishing than lesbian and gay individuals, after adjusting for demographic characteristics. Compared with lesbian and gay individuals, bisexual individuals were more likely to report identity struggles, conceal their sexual orientation, and have weaker sense of connection to the LGBT community, which were in turn associated with greater psychiatric symptomatology and poor well-being. Given the higher vulnerability of bisexual individuals to mental health problems, there is a strong need to develop and implement evidence-based mental health practices for bisexual individuals, which strategically target their identity stress at multiple levels. Social and psychoeducational interventions are also necessary to transform monosexist culture and eradicate bi-negativity in the LGBT and wider community. Copyright © 2019 SPSSI 2019 Summer Conference.

Conference

ConferenceSociety for the Psychological Study of Social Issues 2019 Summer Conference: "Fighting injustice: The power of research, policy, and activism in challenging times"
Abbreviated titleSPSSI 2019
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Diego
Period21/06/1923/06/19
Internet address

Citation

Chan, R. C. H., & Mak, W. (2019, June). Mental health disparities between lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. Paper presented at the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues 2019 Summer Conference (SPSSI 2019): Fighting injustice: The power of research, policy, and activism in challenging times, Wyndham San Diego Bayside, San Diego, CA, USA.

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