Type
Text
Type
Dissertation
Advisor
Davila, Joanne | Goldfried, Marvin | London, Bonita | Goldfried, Nicholas | Schwartz, Joseph.
Date
2015-12-01
Keywords
coping, discrimination, gay, internalizing, sexual orientation | Clinical psychology
Department
Department of Clinical Psychology.
Language
en_US
Source
This work is sponsored by the Stony Brook University Graduate School in compliance with the requirements for completion of degree.
Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/11401/77186
Publisher
The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY.
Format
application/pdf
Abstract
Research has consistently demonstrated that gay men are at increased risk for internalizing symptoms and disorders compared to heterosexual men. Although sexual orientation-related stress (SORS) has been identified as a risk factor for internalizing disorders among gay men, little is known about how SORS influences mental health. The current study had three main aims: (1) to examine the associations between individual attributes (internalized homonegativity and rejection sensitivity) and coping strategies used in response to SORS (active and disengaged coping); (2) to examine the associations between coping strategies and internalizing symptoms; and (3) to examine coping strategies as mediators of the associations between individual attributes and internalizing symptoms. A sample of 147 gay men completed a baseline questionnaire and weekly questionnaires for the next seven consecutive weeks. In general, results indicated that higher internalized homonegativity and rejection sensitivity were associated with higher disengaged coping, but not active coping. In turn, higher disengaged coping was associated with higher internalizing symptoms and disengaged coping mediated the associations between individual attributes and internalizing symptoms. Associations were evident at the between- and within-person levels, indicating that both average levels and weekly fluctuations in levels are important. Although associations were significant in cross-sectional analyses, they were not significant in prospective analyses. Findings underscore the impact of negative thoughts and feelings about one’s sexual orientation on internalizing symptoms. Findings also implicate disengaged coping as a mechanism through which these individual attributes influence internalizing symptoms. Finally, findings demonstrate that gay men’s negative thoughts and feelings about their sexual orientation vary from week to week and that this weekly fluctuation has an impact on mental health. | Research has consistently demonstrated that gay men are at increased risk for internalizing symptoms and disorders compared to heterosexual men. Although sexual orientation-related stress (SORS) has been identified as a risk factor for internalizing disorders among gay men, little is known about how SORS influences mental health. The current study had three main aims: (1) to examine the associations between individual attributes (internalized homonegativity and rejection sensitivity) and coping strategies used in response to SORS (active and disengaged coping); (2) to examine the associations between coping strategies and internalizing symptoms; and (3) to examine coping strategies as mediators of the associations between individual attributes and internalizing symptoms. A sample of 147 gay men completed a baseline questionnaire and weekly questionnaires for the next seven consecutive weeks. In general, results indicated that higher internalized homonegativity and rejection sensitivity were associated with higher disengaged coping, but not active coping. In turn, higher disengaged coping was associated with higher internalizing symptoms and disengaged coping mediated the associations between individual attributes and internalizing symptoms. Associations were evident at the between- and within-person levels, indicating that both average levels and weekly fluctuations in levels are important. Although associations were significant in cross-sectional analyses, they were not significant in prospective analyses. Findings underscore the impact of negative thoughts and feelings about one’s sexual orientation on internalizing symptoms. Findings also implicate disengaged coping as a mechanism through which these individual attributes influence internalizing symptoms. Finally, findings demonstrate that gay men’s negative thoughts and feelings about their sexual orientation vary from week to week and that this weekly fluctuation has an impact on mental health. | 96 pages
Recommended Citation
Feinstein, Brian, "Coping with Sexual Orientation-Related Stress: A Weekly Diary Study of Gay Men" (2015). Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions). 3020.
https://commons.library.stonybrook.edu/stony-brook-theses-and-dissertations-collection/3020