The Relationship between Sexual Minority Stress and Sexual Satisfaction: A Meta-Analytic Review
Date
2023-12-19
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
Despite increased scholarly attention paid to minority stress and sexual satisfaction among sexual minorities, no researchers, to date, have attempted to systematically synthesize this literature. To address this omission, I conducted a meta-analytic review of the association between sexual minority stress (i.e., sexual identity stigma, internalized sexual identity stigma, and sexual identity concealment) and sexual satisfaction. Twenty-seven articles containing 58 effect sizes were analyzed (N = 183,582). Findings indicated a small, inverse relationship between these constructs, indicating that minority stress may lead to diminished sexual satisfaction among gay/lesbian and bisexual individuals. Further, the overall effect size varied as function of minority stress type, such that the effect for internalized stigma was significantly larger than the effects for stigma or concealment. Age also moderated the relationship between minority stress and sexual satisfaction; specifically, older age was associated with a smaller effect, suggesting that older adults may be better at coping with minority stress than younger adults. Limitations, implications, and directions for future research are discussed.
Description
Keywords
minority stress, stigma, internalized stigma, concealment, sexual satisfaction, sexual minorities, gay/lesbian, bisexual
Citation
Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Department
Psychology
Program
Culture and Human Development