Sexual orientation microaggressions and psychological distress in LGBQ adults: A mediation model

Discrimination can take a subtle and insidious form in social life. Such form of discrimination, called microaggressions, are verbal, behavioral, and environmental attitudes and actions carrying prejudice towards disadvantaged minority groups. Experiencing microaggressions has been found as a threatening factor for psychological well-being, particularly in minority groups. Although the detrimental influence of racial microaggressions is well-studied, more research is needed for possible interactions in sexual orientation microaggressions regarding psychological well-being especially in non-Western contexts. Thus, the current study seeks to contribute to the growing literature through investigating sexual orientation microaggressions and psychological distress in Turkey. Participants were 326 lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals (70 lesbian, 77 gay, and 179 bisexual) with a mean age of 23.97 (SD = 5.67) recruited on the internet. The data were collected through online self-administered questionnaires measuring microaggressions, social problem-solving (SPS), psychological distress, internalized homophobia, and perceived social support (PSS). Results showed that microaggressions was positively correlated with psychological distress, but negatively correlated with PSS and SPS. It was found that experiencing microaggressions was significantly associated with greater psychological distress. Total PSS, PSS from family, and one of the coping styles of SPS (negative problem orientation) mediated the association of sexual orientation microaggressions with psychological distress. Internalized homophobia was not found to be a mediator in the same association. Results of moderated mediation analyses showed that gender did not have a significant moderating role in the mediation models. These results indicate that facing and having to deal with microaggressions puts yet another psychological burden on the shoulders of LGBQ individuals who are already dealing with various kinds of stigma and discrimination.