Citation

Swann G, Stephens J, Newcomb ME, Whitton SW. Cultur. Divers. Ethnic Minor. Psychol. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues; American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/cdp0000292

PMID

31021146

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: People of color who are also sexual and gender minorities (SGM) experience forms of enacted stigma based on both their racial/ethnic identity and their SGM status. We set out to test the effects of enacted stigma specific to race/ethnicity and SGM identity on mental health and substance use problems among female assigned at birth (FAB) SGM of color.

METHOD: Data come from a community-based sample of FAB SGM who also identified as racial/ethnic minorities (N = 352). The effects of racial discrimination, SGM victimization, and sexual orientation microaggressions on depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, alcohol-related problems, and marijuana-related problems were tested using linear regression and negative binomial models.

RESULTS: Enacted stigma based on both race/ethnicity and SGM status were significant predictors of mental health outcomes and alcohol-related problems within the same model, which suggested that both uniquely contributed to poorer health. There was little support for interactive effects between the multiple forms of enacted stigma. Marijuana-related problems were best explained by enacted stigma based on race/ethnicity only.

CONCLUSIONS: Racially diverse FAB SGM are at unique risk of experiencing multiple forms of discrimination and aggression based on their minority identities that each contribute negatively to their wellbeing. Consideration of the multiple forms of enacted stigma they face is necessary for understanding health disparities in these populations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Language: en