Adult attachment, perceived discrimination based on sexual orientation, and depression in gay males: Examining the mediation and moderation effects.

Zakalik, Robyn A.; Wei, Meifen

doi:10.1037/0022-0167.53.3.302

Cited by 65 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…Evidence of validity is provided by significant correlations in expected directions with other attachment measures and with measures of preferences for touch and sexual behavior (Brennan et al, 1998). Previous studies have used the ECR with LG samples and reported internal reliabilities of .90 for the Avoidance subscale and .94 for the Anxiety subscale (Zakalik & Wei, 2006). Coefficient alphas in the current study were .93 and .92 for the Avoidance and Anxiety subscales, respectively.…”

Section: Instrumentsmentioning

confidence: 70%

Adult Attachment; Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity; and Sexual Attitudes of Nonheterosexual Individuals

Wang

Schale

Broz

2010

J of College Counseling

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Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) college students from 12 university campuses (N = 177) participated in this study that examined the relationships between adult attachment, LGB identity, and sexual attitudes. Findings indicated that adult attachment was significantly related to LGB identity and sexual attitudes and that an LGB identity variable moderated the relationship between attachment avoidance and sexual permissiveness attitudes. Findings, counseling implications, and future research directions are discussed in terms of attachment and LGB identity theory.A ttachment theory originated as a conceptualization of the process by which infants form bonds with caregivers. According to this theory, the quality of early interactions between infants and caregivers significantly contributes to the development of a child's internal working models. The internal working model of self refers to a child's beliefs about his or her worthiness to be responded to and cared for by the primary attachment figure. The internal working model of others reflects a child's degree of confidence that the primary attachment figure will be available and responsive to his or her needs (Bowlby, 1969). It is believed that individuals' attachment styles, once formed in early childhood, tend to remain relatively stable throughout life and become a framework guiding their various forms of psychological and social functioning in adulthood (Bowlby, 1969).Contemporary adult attachment perspectives conceptualize individuals' attachment on the basis of two orthogonal dimensions: anxiety and avoidance. This two-dimensional adult attachment model is consistent with the internal working models of self and of others as proposed by attachment theory and has received clear empirical support (Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998). Adults with a high level of attachment anxiety are believed to possess a negative model of self. They tend to present characteristics such as a lower sense of self-worth than the norm, fear of rejection and abandonment in relationships, emotional dependence, less social self-confidence than the norm, and obsessive/dependent love styles (i.e., within interpersonal relationships; Collins & Read, 1990). On the other hand, individuals with a high level of attachment avoidance are believed to have developed a negative model of others and tend to demonstrate mistrust of people around them, discomfort with closeness in relationships, low intensity of love experiences, and an excessive need for self-reliance (Feeney & Noller, 1990

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Section: Instrumentsmentioning

confidence: 70%

Adult Attachment; Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity; and Sexual Attitudes of Nonheterosexual Individuals

Wang

Schale

Broz

2010

J of College Counseling

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“…Other studies using the ECR have also provided support for its validity. For example, attachment anxiety and avoidance have been found to be positively associated with self-concealment and personal problems , ineffective coping (Wei, Heppner, Mallinckrodt, 2003;Wei, Heppner, Russell, & Young, 2006), maladaptive perfectionism Wei et al, 2006), negative mood (Wei, Russell, Mallinckrodt, & Zakalik, 2004), and depression (Zakalik & Wei, 2006) but negatively associated with social self-efficacy and emotional self-awareness and basic psychological need satisfaction (Wei, Shaffer, Young, & Zakalik, 2005) in college student samples. One group of researchers (Fraley, Waller, & Brennan, 2000) suggested additional items that may improve the sensitivity of the ECR across a wider range of adult attachment, but we could not find a single published study that developed a shorter measure based on the ECR.…”

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confidence: 99%

The Experiences in Close Relationship Scale (ECR)-Short Form: Reliability, Validity, and Factor Structure

Wei

Russell

Mallinckrodt

et al. 2007

Journal of Personality Assessment

Self Cite

998

849

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We developed a 12-item, short form of the Experiences in Close Relationship Scale (ECR; Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998) across 6 studies. In Study 1, we examined the reliability and factor structure of the measure. In Studies 2 and 3, we cross-validated the reliability, factor structure, and validity of the short form measure; whereas in Study 4, we examined testretest reliability over a 1-month period. In Studies 5 and 6, we further assessed the reliability, factor structure, and validity of the short version of the ECR when administered as a standalone instrument. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that 2 factors, labeled Anxiety and Avoidance, provided a good fit to the data after removing the influence of response sets. We found validity to be equivalent for the short and the original versions of the ECR across studies. Finally, the results were comparable when we embedded the short form within the original version of the ECR and when we administered it as a stand-alone measure.

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“…Empirical studies focusing on various components of minority stress in LGB individuals (e.g., experiences of discrimination, anticipation of rejection, and internalized homophobia) have separately documented associations between these factors and negative mental health outcomes, including higher levels of depression, anxiety, and substance use (e.g., Balsam & Mohr, 2007;Huebner, Nemeroff, & Davis, 2005;Szymanski & Owens, 2008;Zakalik & Wei, 2006; also see review in Meyer, 2003). Qualitative studies have documented that marriage amendments (Levitt et al, 2007;Riggle & Rostosky, 2007) and other anti-LGB political campaigns (e.g., Russell, 2000) are perceived as acute prejudicial events by LGB citizens and thus, by definition, are a minority stress factor.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Marriage amendments and psychological distress in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults.

Rostosky

Riggle

Horne

et al. 2009

Journal of Counseling Psychology

246

236

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An online survey of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults (N ϭ 1,552) examined minority stress (I. H. Meyer, 2003) and psychological distress following the 2006 general election in which constitutional amendments to limit marriage to 1 man and 1 woman were on the ballot in 9 states. Following the November election, participants living in states that passed a marriage amendment reported significantly more minority stress (i.e., exposure to negative media messages and negative conversations, negative amendment-related affect, and LGB activism) and higher levels of psychological distress (negative affect, stress, and depressive symptoms) than participants living in the other states. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses revealed significant positive main effects of minority stress factors and state ballot status on psychological distress. In addition, the association between amendment-related affect and psychological distress was significantly higher in states that had passed a marriage amendment compared with other states. Discussion of these findings emphasizes that marriage amendments create an environment associated with negative psychological outcomes for LGB individuals.

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Adult attachment, perceived discrimination based on sexual orientation, and depression in gay males: Examining the mediation and moderation effects.

Cited by 65 publications

References 65 publications

Adult Attachment; Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity; and Sexual Attitudes of Nonheterosexual Individuals

Adult Attachment; Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity; and Sexual Attitudes of Nonheterosexual Individuals

The Experiences in Close Relationship Scale (ECR)-Short Form: Reliability, Validity, and Factor Structure

Marriage amendments and psychological distress in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults.

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