Resilience to Discrimination and Rejection Among Young Sexual Minority Males and Transgender Females: A Qualitative Study on Coping With Minority Stress |
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| Authors: | Laura Jane Bry Brian Mustanski Robert Garofalo |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Preventive Medicine, Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies (CBITs), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA;2. Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA;3. Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA;4. Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA;5. Department of Pediatrics-Adolescent Medicine, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA |
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| Abstract: | ![]()
Sexual minority and transgender status is associated with mental health disparities, which have been empirically and theoretically linked to stressors related to social stigma. Despite exposure to these unique stressors, many sexual minority and transgender individuals will not experience mental health disorders in their lifetime. Little is known about the specific processes that sexual minority and transgender youth use to maintain their wellbeing in the presence of discrimination and rejection. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 sexual minority males and transgender females aged 18–22 years, who currently met criteria for an operationalized definition of resilience to depression and anxiety. Data were analyzed qualitatively, yielding information related to a wide variety of problem-solving, support-seeking, and accommodative coping strategies employed by youth in the face of social stigma. Results are discussed in light of their clinical implications. |
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| Keywords: | Homosexuality transgender persons young adults adolescents psychological resilience social stigma coping behavior |
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