Distress as a Function of Social Exclusion and Assertiveness among Homosexual/Bisexual People

Chau-kiu Cheung () and Eileen Yuk-ha Tsang
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Chau-kiu Cheung: Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Eileen Yuk-ha Tsang: Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 5, 1-13

Abstract: Homosexual (lesbian or gay) and bisexual (i.e., LGB) people tend to suffer from social exclusion and thus distress. To prevent or relieve distress, the people’s assertiveness about justice and rights is an advocated means, but its effectiveness is uncertain, considering possible conflict with social exclusion. To clarify the effectiveness, this study analyzed data collected from 189 Chinese LGB adults in Hong Kong, which is a special administrative region of China generally Westernized and liberal to sexual orientation. Controlling for prior distress reported, the analysis showed that distress was lower when assertiveness was higher or social exclusion experienced was lower. However, distress was higher when both assertiveness and social exclusion experienced were higher. The higher distress implies a conflict between assertiveness and social exclusion to raise distress. It also implies the need to avoid conflict when promoting assertiveness and eliminating social exclusion to prevent distress in LGB people.

Keywords: distress; social exclusion; assertiveness; conflict theory; LGB (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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