Sexual Orientation, Health, and Well-Being in Spanish People

Although several studies have found disparities in health outcomes between heterosexual and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB)-identifying individuals, few studies have focused on subjective well-being and protective factors for health and well-being. The purpose of this work is twofold: (1) to examine the relevance of sexual orientation to health and well-being in women and men; (2) to identify protective and risk factors for psychological distress, self-rated health, and well-being for gay men, lesbian women, bisexual women and men, and heterosexual women and men. The sample consisted of 908 women and 586 men from the general Spanish population aged 16-64, half of whom identified themselves as LGB and half as heterosexual. All were assessed using eight questionnaires and inventories. The results showed that differences varied depending on the health indicator considered. In general, bisexuals had the poorest health, with lower self-rated health and lower self-esteem. In all groups, self-esteem was a protective factor against psychological distress and was associated with better health and well-being. To a lesser extent, social support served as a protective factor against psychological distress and was associated with greater well-being in all groups. It is concluded that although sexual orientation is relevant to the health and well-being of individuals, there are differences among sexual minorities, with bisexuals having lower self-esteem than homosexuals.

Dating Violence and Mental Health in Emerging Adulthood

Dating violence constitutes a serious social and health problem. This study aims to increase knowledge on dating violence in emerging adulthood by analysing the relevance of gender and of having or not having a current partner in the victimization and perpetration of such violence. It also analyses the association between dating violence and mental health, as well as the relevance of traditional gender role attitudes and the internalization of feminine/expressive and masculine/instrumental traits in the victimization and perpetration of such types of violence. The participants were 930 Spanish emerging adults who were assessed by six self-report questionnaires and scales. Men reported more psychological and physical violence victimization and physical violence perpetration than women, and women and men without a current partner reported more psychological and sexual violence than women and men with a current partner. Dating violence victimization was associated with more mental symptomatology, less life satisfaction, and lower self-esteem in men with a current partner and in women without a current partner. The main predictor of dating violence victimization was dating violence perpetration, and the main predictor of dating violence perpetration was victimization by such violence. More traditional gender role attitudes also predicted greater victimization and perpetration of dating violence, except among women without a current partner.

Mental Symptoms, Life Satisfaction and Sexual Orientation: A Gender Analysis

Research has revealed that homosexual and bisexual people are at higher risk of mental health problems than heterosexual people. However, most studies have focused on differences in disorders and have not examined the intersection of gender and sexual orientation. The main aim of this study is to investigate the relevance of sexual orientation in women's and men's mental symptoms, life satisfaction, and self-esteem. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 309 women and men who were homosexual or bisexual and 309 women and men who were heterosexual, aged between 17 and 54. All participants were assessed by four self-reports measuring mental symptoms, life satisfaction, self-esteem, masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive traits, and traditional gender role attitudes. Results showed an interaction between sexual orientation and gender, with lesbian or bisexual women scoring higher in severe depression symptoms and lower in life satisfaction than heterosexual women. Homosexual and bisexual people scored higher than heterosexuals in somatic symptoms, social dysfunction, and in self-esteem. Women scored higher than men in somatic, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms and in feminine/expressive traits, whereas men scored higher than women in traditional gender role attitudes. We conclude that sexual orientation and gender are relevant to the mental health and well-being of people.

Gender, life events, and mental well-being in emerging adulthood

BACKGROUND

Emerging adulthood is a critical period of life involving many life transitions that may generate stress and compromise health and mental well-being.

AIMS

To know the most frequent life events of women and men in emerging adulthood, analyzing also the relevance that such stressors have on their psychological well-being and life satisfaction. A second aim is to determine the relevance of age, educational level, most frequent life events, coping styles, and perceived social support as risk and protective factors for well-being.

METHOD

The sample consisted of 2,000 individuals from the general Spanish population (55% women), aged between 18 and 29, who were assessed using five questionnaires and scales measuring life events, coping styles, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, and social support.

RESULTS

The findings showed that 90% of the sample had experienced one or more life events during the previous year and that a higher number of life events experienced over the past year was associated with lower mental well-being. Multiple regression analyses made clear that, although some events experienced in the previous year (namely, family conflicts and change in the relationship with parents) were associated with lower women's and men's well-being, the most important determinants of well-being in either gender were coping styles; however, some predictors of women's well-being proved different from those of men. In the case of women, family and intimate partner conflicts predicted lower life satisfaction and psychological well-being was lower in the case of family conflicts. As for men, work or academic life events predicted lower life satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

These research findings are relevant for the design of programs and strategies to improve mental well-being in emerging adulthood.

Stressful Events, Psychological Distress and Well-Being during the Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain: A Gender Analysis

The present study investigates gender differences in stressful events, psychological distress and well-being during the second wave of COVID-19 in Spain, analyzing women's and men's risk and resilience factors for psychological distress and for well-being. Participants were 1758 individuals from the general population, 50.8% women, aged between 18 and 79 years. Women and men did not differ in age, number of children, educational level, occupation or marital status. The participants were assessed by seven self-report questionnaires and scales. The results revealed that women experienced more psychological distress, more negative feelings, more stressful events related to the COVID-19 pandemic, more social support, and lower thriving and self-esteem than men. Multiple regression analyses showed that, in the case of women and men as well, self-esteem was the most important predictor of higher well-being and lower psychological distress and negative feelings while more COVID-19 pandemic-related stressful events were associated with higher psychological distress and lower well-being. Another important predictor of greater well-being for either gender was social support while unemployment was associated with lower well-being. In women and men, a higher educational level was associated with greater psychological distress and negative feelings; the male sample revealed that psychological distress was also connected to younger age while in women it was associated with lower instrumental social support. The results suggest that gender plays an important role in the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the risk being higher for women than for men.

Gender differences in mental distress and affect balance during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Spain

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major threat to the health and well-being of people around the world that has impacted freedom of movement, social interaction and the economy. The aim of the present work was twofold: first, to study the presence of mental distress, positive and negative experiences and affect balance in women and men in Spain in two different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, the initial "first state of alarm" phase, characterized by maximum restrictions, and in the "new normal" phase with minimal restrictions, and second, to study the protective role of age, educational level, self-esteem, marital status and social support against mental distress, and as factors that increase the affect balance of women and men in the above mentioned phases of the first wave of the COVID- 19 pandemic in Spain. The study sample consisted of 652 women and 652 men from the general population, aged between 18 and 88 years, who were evaluated through self-reports. Results show greater mental distress in women than men but, strikingly, the magnitude of such differences were greater in the "new normal" phase than in the maximum restriction phase. In addition, in this last phase, women also experienced more negative feelings and less affect balance than men. High self-esteem and social support were also found to be protective factors for mental health, both in women and men, during the two phases of the pandemic studied. In conclusion, our study shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has especially impacted the well-being of women.

Masculine/Instrumental and Feminine/Expressive Traits and Health, Well-Being, and Psychological Distress in Spanish Men

Many studies have explored the relationship between masculine norms and men's health outcomes. There are few recent studies published on the relationship between masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive traits and men's health and well-being. The current cross-sectional study examines whether masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive traits are associated to men's health and well-being. Participants were 1,870 Spanish men, aged 21 to 64 years. Results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that the masculine/instrumental trait and the feminine/expressive trait were positively related to men's psychological well-being and self-rated health, so that men whose self-concept includes both masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive characteristics presented greater psychological well-being and better self-rated health. The feminine/expressive trait was associated with lower psychological distress yet only in case of men with low social support. Self-esteem and social support were important predictors of men's health, in such a way that men who had high self-esteem and social support reported higher ratings of psychological well-being, better self-rated health, and less psychological distress. The implications of these findings for promoting men's health and well-being are discussed.

Gender and Psychological Well-Being

Background: Research has consistently reported gender differences in mental health, but studies on differences in psychological well-being between women and men have not yielded conclusive results. The aim of this study was to examine the relevance of gender to the psychological well-being of adult individuals. A cross-sectional study with a sample of 1700 men and 1700 women from the general Spanish population was conducted. Their ages ranged from 21 to 64 years, and they were assessed with Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scales and the Bem Sex Role Inventory. Results: Men scored higher than women in self-acceptance and autonomy, and women scored higher than men in personal growth and positive relations with others. The most relevant variable in the psychological well-being of both women and men was high masculinity. Other relevant variables in women’s well-being were high femininity, not having a manual occupation, not being homemakers, and professional occupation. Men´s well-being also was higher in professional men and in men with a skilled non-manual occupation, men with high femininity and men who were not single, divorced or widowed. Conclusions: Adherence to traditional gender roles is relevant to the psychological well-being of women and men, and women and men whose self-concept includes both masculine-instrumental and feminine-expressive characteristics have greater well-being.

Psychological Distress and Social Functioning in Elderly Spanish People: A Gender Analysis

Psychological distress has been considered a key component in the psychosocial functioning and functional disability of the elderly, but the determining factors of social functioning and psychological distress in the elderly people are not yet fully known. The aim of this study is to perform a gender analysis of the relevance of psychological distress and psychosocial factors in the social functioning of the elderly. A cross-sectional study with a sample of 589 men and 684 women from the general Spanish population aged between 65 and 94 years was conducted. All participants were evaluated through questionnaires and scales that assess psychological distress, social functioning, stress, coping styles, self-esteem and social support. Results: Women scored higher than men in psychological distress, chronic stress, emotional coping and instrumental social support, whereas men scored higher than women in self-esteem and rational coping. Psychological distress was significantly associated in women and men with worse social functioning, which was also lower in older people and in women with lower self-esteem. Psychological distress has a considerable impact on the social functioning of the elderly, and gender is a relevant factor in the psychological distress experienced and its predictors.

Salud mental en mujeres maltratadas por su pareja. Un estudio con muestras de México y España

Resumen Antecedentes. La violencia contra las mujeres se reconoce internacionalmente como un fenómeno social que representa un problema de salud pública y de derechos humanos. Su forma más común es la violencia de pareja, que afecta a corto y largo plazos la salud física y mental de las víctimas. Objetivo. Analizar el maltrato a la mujer por parte de su pareja en la población general mediante un estudio comparativo de mujeres de México y España. Para ello se estudiaron el impacto en la salud mental y la relevancia de los factores socioculturales en dicha violencia. Método. Estudio transversal con 101 mujeres mexicanas y 101 españolas de la población general evaluadas mediante siete pruebas psicológicas de maltrato de la pareja, salud mental, autoestima, apoyo social y actitudes hacia los roles de género. Resultados. La mayoría de las mujeres mexicanas y más de la mitad de las españolas sufrían violencia por parte de su pareja; el maltrato psicológico era el tipo de violencia más frecuente. Esto se asociaba con peor salud mental, menor apoyo social y actitudes más tradicionales hacia los roles de género. Discusión y conclusión. Los resultados del presente trabajo indican que la violencia de pareja, sobre todo la psicológica, es un problema común entre las mujeres de la población general, lo que coincide con los informes sobre la prevalencia de la misma en ambos países y parece estar influida por patrones socioculturales. El maltrato por parte de la pareja es una amenaza para la salud mental de las mujeres que requiere de atención poniendo énfasis en los factores socioculturales que la sostienen.

Gender differences in psychological distress in Spain

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Epidemiological and community-based surveys consistently report gender differences in mental health. This study examines gender differences in psychological distress by analyzing the relevance of stress, coping styles, social support and the time use.

METHODS

Psychological tests were administered to a convenience sample of 1,337 men and 1,251 women from the Spanish general population, aged between 18 and 65 and with different socio-demographic characteristics, although both the women and men groups had similar age and educational levels.

RESULTS

Women had more psychological distress than men. Although psychological distress in the women and men groups have some common correlates such as more stress, more emotional and less rational coping and less social support, we find some gender differences. Work role dissatisfaction was more associated with distress in the men than in the women group. In addition, women's distress was associated with more daily time devoted to childcare and less to activities they enjoy, and men's distress was associated with more time devoted to housework and less to physical exercise.

CONCLUSIONS

Social roles traditionally attributed to women and men - and the differences in the use of time that such roles entail - are relevant in gender differences in psychological distress.

Domestic Abuse and Children's Health in the Canary Islands, Spain

This study analyzed the association between domestic partner abuse and children's health. The sample consisted of 420 abused women with at least one child, for a total of 406 female children and 504 male children in 420 households. The women reported that one or more of their children had psychological problems in 27.4% of the cases, 13.6% reported physical health problems, and 7.6% reported both psychological and physical health problems. Externalizing problems were reported most frequently (in 11.7% of the children), while internalizing problems were reported in 5.6% of the children. A greater percentage of children with psychological and physical health problems was found in families in which the abusive partner was also abusive toward the children. We found better mental health in children whose mothers did not abuse them. Women whose children did not exhibit physical or mental health problems were younger, had suffered fewer years of abuse, and had fewer children than the women whose children exhibited health problems.