Article
Self-Continuity Moderates the Association Between Sexual-Minority Status Based Discrimination and Depressive Symptoms
Journal of Homosexuality
(2020)
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 perti- nent 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 univer- sity 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 gen- der nonconformity or sexual minority status. Findings will be dis- cussed in terms of their implications for identity development among emerging adults.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2020
Citation Information
Jonathan Bruce Santo. "Self-Continuity Moderates the Association Between Sexual-Minority Status Based Discrimination and Depressive Symptoms" Journal of Homosexuality (2020) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jonathan_santo/70/