Wellness and Distress in LGBTQ Populations: A Meta-Analysis

Comparing the Impact of COVID-19-Related Social Distancing on Mood and Psychiatric Indicators in Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) and Non-SGM Individuals

Empirical evidence demonstrates mental health disparities between sexual and gender minority individuals (SGM) compared with cisgender heterosexual individuals. SGM individuals report elevated rates of emotional distress, symptoms related to mood and anxiety disorders, self-harm, and suicidal ideation and behavior. Social support is inversely related to psychiatric symptoms, regardless of SGM status. The COVID-19 pandemic-with its associated limited social interactions-represents an unprecedented period of acute distress with potential reductions in accessibility of social support, which might be of particular concern for SGM individuals' mental well-being. In the present study, we explored the extent to which potential changes in mental health outcomes (depressive symptoms, worry, perceived stress, positive and negative affect) throughout the duration of the pandemic were related to differences in perceptions of social support and engagement in virtual social activity, as a function of SGM status. Utilizing a large sample of US adults (N = 1,014; 18% reported SGM status), we assessed psychiatric symptoms, perceptions of social isolation, and amount of time spent socializing virtually at 3 time windows during the pandemic (between March 21 and May 21). Although SGM individuals reported greater levels of depression compared with non-SGM individuals at all 3 time points, there was no interaction between time and SGM status. Across all participants, mental health outcomes improved across time. Perceived social isolation was associated with poorer mental health outcomes. Further, time spent engaging in virtual socialization was associated with reduced depression, but only for those in self-reported quarantine. We discuss these results in terms of the nature of our sample and its impact on the generalizability of these findings to other SGM samples as well as directions for future research aimed at understanding potential health disparities in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Internalized Sexual Stigma in Italian Lesbians and Gay Men: The Roles of Outness, Connectedness to the LGBT Community, and Relationship Satisfaction

The authors examined the extent to which outness, connectedness to the LGBT community, and relationship satisfaction could be used to predict internalized sexual stigma scores. A total of 279 Italian lesbians (47%) and gay men (53%) in a same-sex relationship for at least six months completed the web-based survey. Significant correlations were found between outness, connectedness, relationship satisfaction, and internalized stigma. Analyses of variance were conducted on demographic variables to explore group differences. Multivariate regression analysis suggests that demographic variables, outness, connectedness, and relationship satisfaction combined accounted for 32.8% of the variance in overall internalized sexual stigma. Clinical implications are discussed.