Self-Continuity Moderates the Association Between Sexual-Minority Status Based Discrimination and Depressive Symptoms

Alexa Martin-Storey, Holly E. Recchia, Jonathan B. Santo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Self-continuity, or how an individual understands their sense of self as persisting from past to present and present to future, is an important aspect of the self-concept that is linked to mental health outcomes. This self-concept construct may be particularly pertinent for sexual minority populations, as living in a heterosexist environment may prove detrimental for the development of self-continuity. The current study examined self-continuity among sexual minority and heterosexual community college and university students (N = 292). Compared to their heterosexual peers, sexual minority participants reported lower levels of self-continuity. Self-continuity moderated the associations between victimization due to gender nonconformity and victimization due to sexual minority status and depressive symptoms, such that higher levels of self-continuity were protective among individuals who were experiencing higher levels of victimization due to gender nonconformity or sexual minority status. Findings will be discussed in terms of their implications for identity development among emerging adults.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2075-2096
Number of pages22
JournalJournal of Homosexuality
Volume68
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021

Keywords

  • Self-continuity
  • depressive symptoms
  • emerging adulthood
  • gender nonconformity-based discrimination
  • self-concept
  • sexual minority identity
  • sexual-minority status-based discrimination

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Gender Studies
  • Social Psychology
  • Education
  • Psychology(all)

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