LGBTQ+ based discrimination is associated with ptsd symptoms, dissociation, emotion dysregulation, and attachment insecurity among LGBTQ+ adults who have experienced Trauma

ABSTRACT

Objectives: LGBTQ+ based discrimination is a form of insidious trauma and minority stress, and is associated with poor mental health. However, there is a dearth of research on the impact of discrimination on the psychological functioning of LGBTQ+ individuals who have experienced trauma. The current study seeks to remedy this gap. It was hypothesized that: (1) LGBTQ+ adults who perceived their experience of trauma as related to LGBTQ+ based discrimination would have greater attachment insecurity, emotion dysregulation, PTSD symptoms, and dissociative symptoms; (2) experiences of LGBTQ+ based discrimination would be associated with greater attachment insecurity, emotion dysregulation, PTSD symptoms, and dissociative symptoms; (3) transgender congruence (i.e., the extent to which one feels authentic and comfortable with their gender identity and appearance) would be negatively associated with attachment insecurity, emotion dysregulation, PTSD symptoms, and dissociative symptoms. Methods: Participants were 157 LGBTQ+ adults who had experienced trauma, and who completed questionnaires on discrimination and psychological functioning. Results: Compared to participants who did not experience their trauma as related to discrimination, those who did were higher in attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, emotion dysregulation, PTSD, and dissociative symptoms. Biphobia was positively associated with attachment anxiety, emotion dysregulation, PTSD, and dissociative symptoms. Homophobia was positively associated with emotion dysregulation, PTSD, and dissociative symptoms. Transphobia was positively associated with PTSD and dissociative symptoms. Appearance congruence was negatively associated with emotion dysregulation, PTSD, and dissociative symptoms. Conclusions: When working with LGBTQ+ clients who have experienced trauma, clinicians should be mindful of the effects of discrimination on wellbeing.

KEYWORDS:

• LGBTQ+
• trauma
• dissociation
• attachment
• emotion dysregulation

Acknowledgments

Funding support was received from Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council Research Opportunity Grants, and the York University Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. We are grateful to the participants, who dedicated their time and consideration toward this project. We are also grateful to Dr. Lori Ross for her help with planning and designing the project; and to Sherbourne Health Center, 519, Egale Canada Human Rights Trust, Family Service Toronto- David Kelley Services, Rainbow Health Ontario, PFLAG Canada, the Women’s College Hospital Trauma Therapy Program, the York University Psychology Clinic, York University’s Center for Feminist Research, and the Undergraduate Research Participant Pool for their assistance with data collection.

Disclosure statement

Drs. Keating and Muller report no competing interests.

Notes

¹ All participants belonged to at least one of these categories. The frequencies of ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation do not sum to the total sample size because the groups were not mutually exclusive.

² Due to space constraints, we did not include reliability statistics in the manuscript but interested readers are invited to contact us for this information, and all predictor and outcome measures showed adequate coefficient alphas.

³ Due to space constraints, we did not include all these details in the manuscript but interested readers are invited to contact us for this information.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the York University Postdoctoral Fellowship Program [none];Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council Research Opportunity Grants [none];