Sexual Identity and Depression: Comparing Differences by Discrimination and Religious Involvement

• In Event: 380 - Section on Sociology of Sexualities Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 06. Identities

Abstract

In a heteronormative culture, such as the United States, sexual minorities face unique stressors that may have negative consequences for their mental health and may have fewer resources to cope with those stressors. The minority stress model (Meyer 2003) has been proposed as a possible explanation as to why sexual minorities report worse mental health outcomes. This research applies the minority stress model and extends it by examining whether mechanisms that do not assess stress levels (e.g., social resources) also help perpetuate mental health inequality across sexual orientation. Upon taking into account both religious resources and stressors the significant differences in major depressive episode between heterosexuals and sexual minorities disappear. It is important to note that stressors or religious resources alone could not account for mental health differences across sexual identity. Rather it was the combination of these two mediators that fully explained differences in mental health outcomes.

Authors

• Brandi Woodell, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Christina Falci, University of Nebraska-Lincoln