Looking on the bright side of stigma: How stress-related growth facilitates adaptive coping among gay and bisexual men

ABSTRACT

Stigma has been linked to adverse mental health outcomes among gay and bisexual men, yet how psychological resources facilitate adaptive coping remains unclear. The present study examined the association between stress-related growth and internalizing mental health symptoms and considered emotion regulation as a mechanism mediating this association. Gay and bisexual men completed questionnaires measuring stress-related growth associated with sexual orientation identity development, emotion regulation difficulties, and anxiety and depressive symptoms. The study found that stress-related growth was associated with more effective emotion regulation, which in turn predicted fewer internalizing symptoms. These findings have important implications for understanding and alleviating sexual minority mental health disparities.

KEYWORDS:

• Discrimination
• gay and bisexual men
• mental health
• sexual minority

Disclosure

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Funding

This project was supported by a research grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (R34-MH096607; PI: John E. Pachankis). Katie Wang was supported by a training fellowship from National Institute of Mental Health (T32-MH020031). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. H. Jonathon Rendina was supported by a career development award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (K01-DA039030).