Comparing Psychosocial Adjustment Across the College Transition in a Matched Heterosexual and Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Sample

Abstract

We compared a matched sample of heterosexual and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) students on 5 psychosocial adjustment composites, longitudinally across the transitional first year of college. Both LGB and heterosexual students experienced a significant increase in psychological distress over the first semester, along with significant decreases in psychological well-being and cognitive-affective strengths. Across the entire first year, LGB students demonstrated consistently greater psychological distress, greater cognitive-affective vulnerabilities, and less social well-being compared to heterosexual peers. This research indicates specific challenges that LGB students experience during the first year of university, suggesting opportunities for promoting successful transitions through this developmental milestone.

Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress and Prevalence of Major Depression and Its Predictors in Female University Students

“…Stress scores were higher for non-heterosexuals. The finding that depression, anxiety and stress scores were higher in non-heterosexual students is consistent with previous literature (e.g., [63,64]) with first-year college students.…”

“…There were differences in the levels of depression and anxiety between heterosexuals and nonheterosexuals. Though, to our knowledge, no previous studies have used the DASS-21 to compare the levels of depression and anxiety among college students as a function of their sexual orientation, this finding is consistent with previous works reporting higher severity of the symptoms in sexual minorities (e.g., [63,64]).…”

Intensity of activity involvement and psychosocial well-being among students

“…Specifically, stressors can include interactions and relationships with family members, romantic partners, peers, and professors, a lack of time, money, or other resources, internalized expectations, and hostile or unfamiliar environments, among others (Hurst et al, 2013). For students from minority backgrounds, effects of stressors related to navigating a minority identity or to experiences with discrimination can exacerbate the difficulties of this period (Kirsch et al, 2015; Wilkins, 2014). For instance, in a study comparing lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) students with heterosexual students, LGB students report greater psychological distress (measured as dimensions of depression, anxiety, and stress), as well as lower psychosocial well-being and coping strategies, across the first year of university (Kirsch et al, 2015).…”

“…For students from minority backgrounds, effects of stressors related to navigating a minority identity or to experiences with discrimination can exacerbate the difficulties of this period (Kirsch et al, 2015; Wilkins, 2014). For instance, in a study comparing lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) students with heterosexual students, LGB students report greater psychological distress (measured as dimensions of depression, anxiety, and stress), as well as lower psychosocial well-being and coping strategies, across the first year of university (Kirsch et al, 2015). In a study comparing experiences of Black versus White men across the transition to university in the United States, Black men struggled with establishing an identity within one’s university due to a range of factors, including lowered expectations from one’s peers regarding academics (Wilkins, 2014).…”

Examining stress and coping as a mediator for internalizing symptomatology: A comparison between sexual minority and majority first‐year college students

“…During the first year of college, SGM adolescents experience greater levels of depression, anxiety, and distress compared to heterosexual adolescents (Kirsch, Conley, & Riley, 2015). Research suggests that while heterosexual students can systematically work through developmental crises on campus, sexual identity development takes precedence for many SGM students, at the expense of resolving other crises during college (Chickering & Reisser, 1993; Stevens, 2004).…”