Depressive Symptoms Moderate the Relation Between Internalized Homophobia and Drinking Habits

Abstract

One factor that may place lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals at greater risk for alcohol abuse is internalized homophobia (Cochran & Cauce, 2006), yet very few studies have investigated this link. Previous findings have also been inconsistent, suggesting that a third variable may be moderating their relation. The current study is the first to investigate whether depressive symptoms moderate the relation between internalized homophobia and alcohol consumption. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed a significant moderator effect for depressive symptoms. Simple slopes analyses indicated that individuals who reported lesser depressive symptoms showed a significant negative relation between internalized homophobia and frequency of drinking per month (β = −.62, p < .05). In contrast, individuals who reported greater depressive symptoms showed no relation between these two constructs (β = −.01, ns). There was no effect of gender on this relation. These results indicate that those who are reportedly experiencing little depression and internalized homophobia drink most frequently.

KEYWORDS:

• internalized homophobia
• internalized heterosexism
• homosexual
• lesbian
• gay
• alcohol
• drinking habits
• depression
• depressive symptoms

Notes

∗Men reported significantly greater internalized homophobia than women, t(67) = 2.32, p < .05.

Note. ∗p < .05; R² = .10 for Step 1 (p > .1); ΔR² = .07 (p < .05) for Step 2; ΔR² = .04 for Step 3 (p > .1).

∗p < .05.

∗p < .05.