Couple-level minority stress in LGBTQ couples: the impact of dyadic coping and outness
Date
2022
Authors
Klimo, Kasey D., author
Quirk, Kelley, advisor
Haddock, Shelley, committee member
Carlson, Laurie, committee member
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Abstract
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) couples face sexual-minority identity stressors that are uniquely different from heterosexual couple experiences. Much of the literature has focused on the effect of minority stressors on the individual level, however, no current research has examined couple-level minority stress. LGBTQ couple-level minority stress can be conceptualized as stressors related to the sexual-minority status of each individual within the couple, and how these stressors manifest within the couple and affect couple functioning and health. The current study sought to fill this gap in the literature by creating and testing a measure of LGBTQ couple-level minority stress, adapted from established qualitative research on the subject (Frost et al., 2017). Couple-level minority stress likely impacts relationship satisfaction, and we hypothesize that this relationship is moderated by degree of outness (e.g., level of disclosure of one's sexual identity) and by engagement in dyadic-coping (e.g., how partners cope with stress jointly). Individuals who report being in a same-sex relationship took a one-time self-report survey answering questions regarding outness, dyadic coping, the impact of LGBTQ couple-level minority stress, and relationship satisfaction. Results reveal a significant positive relationship between dyadic coping and relationship satisfaction, and a significant negative relationship between outness and couple-level minority stress.
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Subject
dyadic coping
minority stress
relationship satisfaction
LGBTQ relationships
couple-level minority stress
outness