Mental health in people with minority sexual orientations: A meta-analysis of population-based studies.

AIMS: To conduct a meta-analysis of population-based studies to quantify the association between sexual minority status (lesbian women, gay men, and bisexual people) and the risk of common mental disorders (depressive disorders, alcohol use disorders (AUD), anxiety disorders, and suicidality). METHOD: PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library Database, the Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, and ProQuest were searched for relevant studies published between 2000 and May 2020. The PRISMA guidelines were followed for selection processes. Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria which included a total of 519,414 heterosexuals, 10,178 lesbian/gay people and 14,410 bisexual people. RESULTS: Lesbian/gay people (ORs between 1.97, 95% [CI = 1.76, 2.19] and 2.89, 95% [CI = 2.41,3.38]) and bisexual people (ORs between 2.70; 95% [CI = 2.21,3.18], and 4.81; 95% [CI = 3.63, 5.99]) had a higher risk for mental disorders than heterosexuals for all investigated diagnostic categories. The risk for depression (OR = 2.70; 95% [CI = 2.21, 3.18]) and suicidality (OR = 4.81; 95% [CI = 3.63, 5.99]) was higher in bisexual compared with lesbian/gay people. Exploratory meta-regressions revealed no evidence for a decrease in mental health differences between people with minority sexual orientations and heterosexuals in more recent years of data assessment, except for AUD. CONCLUSIONS: These findings clearly suggest disparities in mental health between people with minority sexual orientations and heterosexual people. There is a lack of data regarding a wider spectrum of sexual orientations and mental disorders and studies in non-Western countries.

The social integration of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals: Exploring the role of the municipal context.

This paper examines possible differences between lesbians, gay men and bisexuals (LGBs) compared to heterosexuals with respect to their integration into the residential neighbourhood. By means of a multi-level analysis, we examine if there is a gap in social integration between LGBs compared to heterosexuals, and if so, to what extent municipality characteristics can account for variations in this gap. Specifically, we test a cultural hypothesis (i.e., how liberal or conservative the cultural climate is) and a social hypothesis (i.e., how large the share of LGBs is). In total, we analyse 7,320 LGBs and 114,298 heterosexual respondents from four pooled waves of the Dutch Safety Monitor (2012-2015). We link these individual level data to an external survey, which allows the measurement of the cultural climate in each municipality. Overall, we found little evidence that there is an integration gap between LGBs and heterosexuals in the Netherlands as a whole. We find some support for the social hypothesis and no support for the cultural hypothesis. The analyses highlight the particular role of Amsterdam. While both heterosexuals and LGBs are less integrated in Amsterdam compared to less urbanized areas, this is more so the case for heterosexuals. The social integration among LGBs does not drop as sharply as it does among heterosexuals, suggesting that LGBs also benefit socially from living in Amsterdam.

Behavioral Outcomes of Children with Same-Sex Parents in The Netherlands.

Same-sex parents face substantial stressors due to their sexual orientation, such as experiences of prejudice and prohibitive legal environments. This added stress is likely to lead to reduced physical and mental health in same-sex parents that, in turn, may translate into problematic behavioral outcomes in their children. To date, there are only a few nationally representative studies that investigate the well-being of children with same-sex parents. The current study takes a closer look at children's behavioral outcomes, reported by a parent, using an adapted version of the emotional, conduct, hyperactivity, pro-social, and peer problems subscales of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We take advantage of unique data from the Netherlands based on a probability sample from population registers, whereby findings can be inferred to same-sex and different-sex parent households with parents between the ages of 30 and 65, and with children between the ages of 6 and 16 years (62 children with same-sex, and 72 children with different-sex parents). The findings obtained by coarsened exact matching suggest no significant disadvantages for children with same-sex parents compared to different-sex parents. We contextualize these findings in their wider cultural context, and recommend a renewed focus in future research away from deficit-driven comparisons.

Do adult men and women in same-sex relationships have weaker ties to their parents?

Using a national sample of people in same-sex relationships (N = 843) and different-sex relationships (N = 510) in the Netherlands, we examine the frequently discussed but infrequently tested hypothesis of weaker intergenerational ties between parents and their adult daughters and sons in same-sex relationships. We also test hypotheses linking the strength of these ties to gender differences and the liberal or traditional views held by the parents when the child was growing up (reported retrospectively). Overall, we find few differences in the strength of the current parent-child relationship but clear differences in the process of leaving home. Our findings show that people who are in same-sex relationships in adulthood left home earlier and moved further away from their parents than those in different-sex relationships. In addition, they left more often due to conflicts at home and due to an unpleasant atmosphere in the community of origin, and less often to move in directly with a partner. In adulthood, people in same-sex relationships show many commonalities with people in different-sex relationships and only a few differences. Men in same-sex relationships have more ambivalent relationships with their mothers and weaker relationships with their fathers than men partnered with women. When the parental home was more traditional in terms of gendered role division in parenting, the current relationship of women in same-sex relationships with their father is on average weaker in adulthood. Women in same-sex relationships also have less frequent contact with both parents compared to women in different-sex relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Well-being during COVID-19 pandemic: A comparison of individuals with minoritized sexual and gender identities and cis-heterosexual individuals.

BACKGROUND: Preliminary empirical data indicates a substantial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on well-being and mental health. Individuals with minoritized sexual and gender identities are at a higher risk of experiencing such negative changes in their well-being. The objective of this study was to compare levels of well-being among cis-heterosexual individuals and individuals with minoritized sexual and gender identities during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Using data obtained in a cross-sectional online survey between April 20 to July 20, 2020 (N = 2332), we compared levels of well-being (WHO-5) across subgroups (cis-individuals with minoritized sexual identities, individuals with minoritized gender identities and cis-heterosexual individuals) applying univariate (two-sample t-test) and multivariate analysis (multivariate linear regression). RESULTS: Results indicate overall lower levels of well-being as well as lower levels of well-being in minoritized sexual or gender identities compared to cis-heterosexual individuals. Further, multivariate analyses revealed that living in urban communities as well as being in a relationship were positively associated with higher levels of well-being. Furthermore, a moderation analysis showed that being in a relationship reduces the difference between groups in terms of well-being. CONCLUSION: Access to mental healthcare for individuals with minoritized sexual and gender identities as well as access to gender-affirming resources should be strengthened during COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare services with low barriers of access such as telehealth and online peer support groups should be made available, especially for vulnerable groups.