Relationships of Sexual Orientation Microaggression with Anxiety and Depression among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Taiwanese Youth: Self-Identity Disturbance Mediates but Gender Does Not Moderate the Relationships

Jung-Sheng Chen, Yu-Te Huang, Chung-Ying Lin, Cheng-Fang Yen, Mark D. Griffiths and Amir H. Pakpour
Additional contact information
Jung-Sheng Chen: Department of Medical Research, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung 82445, Taiwan
Yu-Te Huang: Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong RM543, China
Chung-Ying Lin: Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
Cheng-Fang Yen: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
Mark D. Griffiths: International Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK
Amir H. Pakpour: Department of Nursing, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, 55318 Jönköping, Sweden

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 24, 1-11

Abstract: The aims of this cross-sectional survey study were to examine the association between sexual orientation microaggression and anxiety and depression among young adult lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals in Taiwan, as well as to examine the mediating effect of self-identity disturbance and the moderating effect of gender. In total, 1000 self-identified LGB individuals participated in the study. The experience of sexual orientation microaggression was assessed using the Sexual Orientation Microaggression Inventory, self-identity disturbance was assessed using the Self-Concept and Identity Measure, anxiety was assessed using the State subscale on the Chinese version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine relationships between the variables. The SEM results demonstrated that sexual orientation microaggression was directly associated with increased anxiety and depression, as well as being indirectly associated with increased anxiety and depression via the mediation of self-identity disturbance among young adult LGB individuals. Gender did not moderate the relationships between any of the variables. Both sexual orientation microaggression and self-identity disturbance warrant program interventions for enhancing mental health among LGB individuals.

Keywords: microaggression; self-identity disturbance; anxiety; psychological well-being; sexual orientation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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