Internalized homophobia and psychological distress among gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals

The aim of the present study was to examine associations between internalized homophobia, psychological distress and suicide behavior. In addition in this study, the prevalence of traumatic experiences among gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals was investigated. The sample of the study was 277 gay, lesbian and bisexual participants (156 gay and lesbian, 121 bisexual). In this study, gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals who had high internalized homophobia reported significantly higher depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, psychological distress and suicidal ideation. In addition, according to results, the number of traumatic experience, the subjective response of traumatic experience and internalized homophobia predicted the varience of psychological distress significantly. The participants who had high level of internalized homophobia and high level of the subjective response of traumatic experience reported the most psychological distress. From the number of traumatic experience, the subjective response of traumatic experience and internalized homophobia, only the subjective response of traumatic experience predicted the variance of suicidal ideation and the variance of suicidal attempt significanty. As a result, internalized homophobia is a risk factor for psychological distress among gay, lesbian and bisexual indivuduals.