Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Self-Compassion Buffers the Negative Psychological Impact of Stigma Stress on Sexual Minorities

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
  • Published:
Mindfulness Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

The present study aimed to test the associations of stigma stress with negative cognitive outcomes (i.e., self-stigma content and process), affective outcomes (i.e., depressive and anxiety symptoms), and social outcomes (i.e., disconnectedness and loneliness) among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals and to explore whether self-compassion would moderate these associations.

Methods

A total of 401 LGB individuals from Hong Kong, China, provided cross-sectional questionnaire data on self-stigma content and process, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and social disconnectedness and loneliness. Hierarchical regressions and simple slope analyses were performed to analyze the relations among the variables.

Results

Hierarchical regressions showed significant interactions between stigma stress and self-compassion in predicting self-stigma content and process, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and social disconnectedness and loneliness. Simple slope analyses further demonstrated that the positive associations of stigma stress with the six psychological outcomes were weaker among LGB individuals with high levels of self-compassion than among LGB individuals with low levels of self-compassion.

Conclusions

Theoretically, our findings highlighted the links between stigma stress and maladaptive psychological processes among LGB individuals, as well as the potential protective effects of self-compassion in such processes. Practically, our findings pointed to the necessity of helping LGB individuals cope with stigma stress and increase self-compassion in improving their psychological well-being.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen, A. B., & Leary, M. R. (2010). Self-compassion, stress, and coping. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4(2), 107–118.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Arch, J. J., Brown, K. W., Dean, D. J., Landy, L. N., Brown, K., & Laudenslager, M. L. (2014). Self-compassion training modulates alpha-amylase, heart rate variability, and subjective responses to social evaluative threat in women. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 42, 49–58.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Arch, J. J., Landy, L. N., & Brown, K. W. (2016). Predictors and moderators of biopsychological social stress responses following brief self-compassion meditation training. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 69, 35–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bariola, E., Lyons, A., & Lucke, J. (2017). Flourishing among sexual minority individuals: Application of the dual continuum model of mental health in a sample of lesbians and gay men. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 4(1), 43–53.

  • Barnard, L. K., & Curry, J. F. (2011). Self-compassion: Conceptualizations, correlates, and interventions. Review of General Psychology, 15(4), 289–303.

  • Berjot, S., & Gillet, N. (2011). Stress and coping with discrimination and stigmatization. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, 33.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Birkett, M., Espelage, D. L., & Koenig, B. (2009). LGB and questioning students in schools: The moderating effects of homophobic bullying and school climate on negative outcomes. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38(7), 989–1000.

  • Breines, J. G., Thoma, M. V., Gianferante, D., Hanlin, L., Chen, X., & Rohleder, N. (2014). Self-compassion as a predictor of interleukin-6 response to acute psychosocial stress. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 37, 109–114.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chan, K. K. S., & Fung, W. T. W. (2019). The impact of experienced discrimination and self-stigma on sleep and health-related quality of life among individuals with mental disorders in Hong Kong. Quality of Life Research, 28(8), 2171–2182.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chan, K. K. S., & Mak, W. W. S. (2017). The content and process of self-stigma in people with mental illness. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 87(1), 34–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chan, K. K. S., Lee, C. W. L., & Mak, W. W. S. (2018). Mindfulness model of stigma resistance among individuals with psychiatric disorders. Mindfulness, 9(5), 1433–1442.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chan, R. C. H., Operario, D., & Mak, W. W. S. (2020). Bisexual individuals are at greater risk of poor mental health than lesbians and gay men: The mediating role of sexual identity stress at multiple levels. Journal of Affective Disorders, 260, 292–301.

  • Chaney, M. P., & Burns-Wortham, C. M. (2015). Examining coming out, loneliness, and self-esteem as predictors of sexual compulsivity in gay and bisexual men. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 22(1), 71–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charbonnier, E., & Graziani, P. (2016). The stress associated with the coming out process in the young adult population. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Mental Health, 20(4), 319–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chong, E. S. K., Zhang, Y., Mak, W. W. S., & Pang, I. H. Y. (2015). Social media as social capital of LGB individuals in Hong Kong: Its relations with group membership, stigma, and mental well-being. American Journal of Community Psychology, 55(1–2), 228–238.

  • Daley, A. E., & MacDonnell, J. A. (2011). Gender, sexuality and the discursive representation of access and equity in health services literature: Implications for LGBT communities. International Journal of Equity in Health, 10, 40.

  • Detrie, P. M., & Lease, S. H. (2007). The relation of social support, connectedness, and collective self-esteem to the psychological well-being of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. Journal of Homosexuality, 53(4), 173–199.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finlay-Jones, A. L. (2017). The relevance of self-compassion as an intervention target in mood and anxiety disorders: A narrative review based on an emotion regulation framework. Clinical Psychologist, 21(2), 90–103.

  • Gardner, W. L., Pickett, C. L., & Brewer, M. B. (2000). Social exclusion and selective memory: How the need to belong influences memory for social events. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26(4), 486–496.

  • Gilbert, P., & Procter, S. (2006). Compassionate mind training for people with high shame and self-criticism: Overview and pilot study of a group therapy approach. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 13(6), 353–379.

  • Hatzenbuehler, M. L. (2009). How does sexual minority stigma “get under the skin”? A psychological mediation framework. Psychological Bulletin, 135(5), 707–730.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hatzenbuehler, M. L., Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Dovidio, J. (2009). How does stigma “get under the skin”? The mediating role of emotion regulation. Psychological Science, 20(10), 1282–1289.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hatzenbuehler, M. L., Duncan, D., & Johnson, R. (2015). Neighborhood-level LGBT hate crimes and bullying among sexual minority youths: A geospatial analysis. Violence and Victims, 30(4), 663–675.

  • Hays, R. D., & DiMatteo, M. R. (1987). A short-form measure of loneliness. Journal of Personality Assessment, 51(1), 69–81.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heath, P. J., Brenner, R. E., Lannin, D. G., & Vogel, D. L. (2018). Self-compassion moderates the relationship of perceived public and anticipated self-stigma of seeking help. Stigma and Health, 3(1), 65–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herek, G. M. (2007). Confronting sexual stigma and prejudice: Theory and practice. Journal of Social Issues, 63(4), 905–925.

  • Holman, E. G. (2018). Theoretical extensions of minority stress theory for sexual minority individuals in the workplace: A cross-contextual understanding of minority stress processes. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 10(1), 165–180.

  • Kaiser, C. R., Major, B., & McCoy, S. K. (2004). Expectations about the future and the emotional consequences of perceiving prejudice. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30(2), 173–184.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Katz-Wise, S. L., & Hyde, J. S. (2012). Victimization experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sex Research, 49(2–3), 142–167.

  • Kirschner, H., Kuyken, W., Wright, K., Roberts, H., Brejcha, C., & Karl, A. (2019). Soothing your heart and feeling connected: A new experimental paradigm to study the benefits of self-compassion. Clinical Psychological Science, 7(3), 545–565.

  • Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. (2001). The PHQ-9: Validity of a brief depression severity measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(9), 606–613.

  • Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, R. M., & Robbins, S. B. (1995). Measuring belongingness: The social connectedness and the social assurance scales. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 42(2), 232–241.

  • Liao, K. Y., Kashubeck-West, S., Weng, C., & Deitz, C. (2015). Testing a mediation framework for the link between perceived discrimination and psychological distress among sexual minority individuals. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 62(2), 226–241.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Longares, L., Escartín, J., & Rodríguez-Carballeira, A. (2016). Collective self-esteem and depressive symptomatology in lesbians and gay men: A moderated mediation model of self-stigma and psychological abuse. Journal of Homosexuality, 63(11), 1481–1501.

  • López, A., Sanderman, R., Smink, A., Zhang, Y., van Sonderen, E., Ranchor, A., & Schroevers, M. J. (2015). A reconsideration of the self-compassion scale’s total score: Self-compassion versus self-criticism. PLoS One, 10(7), e0132940.

  • Luo, X., Qiao, L., & Che, X. (2018). Self-compassion modulates heart rate variability and negative affect to experimentally induced stress. Mindfulness, 9(5), 1522–1528.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacBeth, A., & Gumley, A. (2012). Exploring compassion: A meta-analysis of the association between self-compassion and psychopathology. Clinical Psychology Review, 32(6), 545–552.

  • Major, B., & O’Brien, L. T. (2005). The social psychology of stigma. Annual Review of Psychology, 56, 393–421.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mak, W. W. S., & Cheung, R. Y. M. (2010). Self-stigma among concealable minorities in Hong Kong: Conceptualization and unified measurement. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 80(2), 267–281.

  • Mak, W. W. S., Poon, C. Y. M., Pun, L. Y. K., & Cheung, S. F. (2007). Meta-analysis of stigma and mental health. Social Science and Medicine, 65(2), 245–261.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mays, V. M., & Cochran, S. D. (2001). Mental health correlates of perceived discrimination among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 91(11), 1869–1876.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mereish, E. H., & Poteat, V. P. (2015). A relational model of sexual minority mental and physical health: The negative effects of shame on relationships, loneliness, and health. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 62(3), 425–437.

  • Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129(5), 674–697.

  • Mohr, J. J., & Sarno, E. L. (2016). The ups and downs of being lesbian, gay, and bisexual: A daily experience perspective on minority stress and support processes. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(1), 106–118.

  • Muris, P., & Petrocchi, N. (2017). Protection or vulnerability? A meta-analysis of the relations between the positive and negative components of self-compassion and psychopathology. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 24(2), 373–383.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muris, P., Otgaar, H., & Petrocchi, N. (2016). Protection as the mirror image of psychopathology: Further critical notes on the self-compassion scale. Mindfulness, 7(3), 787–790.

  • Muris, P., Otgaar, H., & Pfattheicher, S. (2019). Stripping the forest from the rotten trees: Compassionate self-responding is a way of coping, but reduced uncompassionate self-responding mainly reflects psychopathology. Mindfulness, 10(1), 196–199.

  • Neff, K. D. (2003a). Self-compassion: An alternative conceptualization of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity, 2(2), 85–101.

  • Neff, K. D. (2003b). The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity, 2(3), 223–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neff, K. D. (2016). The self-compassion scale is a valid and theoretically coherent measure of self-compassion. Mindfulness, 7(1), 264–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neff, K. D., & Germer, C. K. (2013). A pilot study and randomized controlled trial of the mindful self-compassion program. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69(1), 28–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Neff, K. D., Whittaker, T. A., & Karl, A. (2017). Examining the factor structure of the self-compassion scale in four distinct populations: Is the use of a total scale score justified? Journal of Personality Assessment, 99(6), 596–607.

  • Neff, K. D., Tóth-Király, I., Yarnell, L. M., Arimitsu, K., Castilho, P., Ghorbani, N., et al. (2019). Examining the factor structure of the self-compassion scale in 20 diverse samples: Support for use of a total score and six subscale scores. Psychological Assessment, 31(1), 27–45.

  • Newcomb, M. E., & Mustanski, B. (2010). Internalized homophobia and internalizing mental health problems: A meta-analytic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(8), 1019–1029.

  • Pachankis, J. E. (2007). The psychological implications of concealing a stigma: A cognitive-affective-behavioral model. Psychological Bulletin, 133(2), 328–345.

  • Pachankis, J. E., Sullivan, T. J., Feinstein, B. A., & Newcomb, M. E. (2018). Young adult gay and bisexual men’s stigma experiences and mental health: An 8-year longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 54(7), 1381–1393.

  • Poteat, V. P., & Espelage, D. L. (2007). Predicting psychosocial consequences of homophobic victimization in middle school students. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 27(2), 175–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raes, F. (2010). Rumination and worry as mediators of the relationship between self-compassion and depression and anxiety. Personality and Individual Differences, 48(6), 757–761.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raes, F., Pommier, E., Neff, K. D., & Van Gucht, D. (2011). Construction and factorial validation of a short form of the self-compassion scale. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 18(3), 250–255.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ragins, B. R., & Cornwell, J. M. (2001). Pink triangles: Antecedents and consequences of perceived workplace discrimination against gay and lesbian employees. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(6), 1244–1261.

  • Rostosky, S. S., Riggle, E. D. B., Horne, S. G., & Miller, A. D. (2009). Marriage amendments and psychological distress in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 56(1), 56–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rüsch, N., Corrigan, P. W., Powell, K., Rajah, A., Olschewski, M., Wilkniss, S., & Batia, K. (2009a). A stress-coping model of mental illness stigma: II. Emotional stress responses, coping behavior and outcome. Schizophrenia Research, 110(1–3), 65–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rüsch, N., Corrigan, P. W., Wassel, A., Michaels, P., Olschewski, M., Wilkniss, S., & Batia, K. (2009b). A stress-coping model of mental illness stigma: I. Predictors of cognitive stress appraisal. Schizophrenia Research, 110(1–3), 59–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, C., Huebner, D., Diaz, R. M., & Sanchez, J. (2009). Family rejection as a predictor of negative health outcomes in white and Latino lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults. Pediatrics, 123(1), 346–352.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sheehan, L., Oexle, N., Dubke, R., Wan, H. T., & Corrigan, P. W. (2020). The self-stigma of suicide attempt survivors. Archives of Suicide Research, 24, 34–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Skinta, M. D., Lezama, M., Wells, G., & Dilley, J. W. (2015). Acceptance and compassion-based group therapy to reduce HIV stigma. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 22(4), 481–490.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spitzer, R. L., Kroenke, K., Williams, J. B., & Löwe, B. (2006). A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: The GAD-7. Archives of Internal Medicine, 166(10), 1092–1097.

  • Stotzer, R. L., & Lau, H. (2013). Sexual orientation-based violence in Hong Kong. Asian-Pacific Law and Policy Journal, 14(2), 84–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Timmins, L., Rimes, K. A., & Rahman, Q. (2020). Minority stressors, rumination, and psychological distress in lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49, 661–680.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Trompetter, H. R., de Kleine, E., & Bohlmeijer, E. T. (2017). Why does positive mental health buffer against psychopathology? An exploratory study on self-compassion as a resilience mechanism and adaptive emotion regulation strategy. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 41(3), 459–468.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vigna, A. J., Poehlmann-Tynan, J., & Koenig, B. W. (2018). Does self-compassion facilitate resilience to stigma? A school-based study of sexual and gender minority youth. Mindfulness, 9(3), 914–924.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, B. J., & Hope, D. A. (2011). A preliminary investigation of worry content in sexual minorities. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 25(2), 244–250.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, S. L., Mann, A. K., & Fredrick, E. G. (2017). Proximal minority stress, psychosocial resources, and health in sexual minorities. Journal of Social Issues, 73(3), 529–544.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, C. C. Y., Knee, C. R., Neighbors, C., & Zvolensky, M. J. (2019). Hacking stigma by loving yourself: A mediated-moderation model of self-compassion and stigma. Mindfulness, 10(3), 415–433.

  • Yang, X., & Mak, W. W. S. (2017). The differential moderating roles of self-compassion and mindfulness in self-stigma and well-being among people living with mental illness or HIV. Mindfulness, 8(3), 595–602.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zessin, U., Dickhäuser, O., & Garbade, S. (2015). The relationship between self-compassion and well-being: A meta-analysis. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 7(3), 340–364.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong

    Kevin Ka Shing Chan, Cherry Sin Wa Yung & George Muyi Nie

  2. Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong

    Kevin Ka Shing Chan

Authors
  1. Kevin Ka Shing Chan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cherry Sin Wa Yung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. George Muyi Nie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

KKSC developed the research question, executed the study, analyzed the data, and wrote and revised the paper. CSWY and GMN collaborated in writing and revising the paper. All authors approved the final version of the paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kevin Ka Shing Chan.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

The present study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of The Education University of Hong Kong.

Informed Consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to participation.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chan, K.K.S., Yung, C.S.W. & Nie, G.M. Self-Compassion Buffers the Negative Psychological Impact of Stigma Stress on Sexual Minorities. Mindfulness 11, 2338–2348 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01451-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01451-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation