Sexual Minority Stressors and Psychological Aggression in Lesbian Women’s Intimate Relationships

Abstract

Our study examined how two sexual minority stressors (internalized homophobia and social constraints in talking with others about one’s minority sexual identity) are related to psychological aggression (PA) in lesbian women’s relationships. PA includes a range of methods to hurt, coerce, control, and intimidate intimate partners. Rumination (i.e., brooding about one’s self and life situation) and relationship satisfaction were examined as potential mediating variables. Self-identified lesbian women in a same-sex relationship ( N = 220) were recruited from a market research firm’s online panel. Participants completed measures of internalized homophobia, social constraints, rumination, relationship satisfaction, and frequency of past year PA victimization and perpetration. Internalized homophobia and social constraints in talking to friends about sexual identity yielded a positive indirect link with PA via a sequential path through rumination and relationship satisfaction. There was an additional indirect positive association of minority stressors with PA via a unique path through rumination. These results demonstrate the importance of continued efforts toward reducing minority stress, where possible, as well as enhancing coping. Given the importance of rumination and relationship satisfaction in the link between minority stressors and PA, it is imperative to improve adaptive coping responses to sexual minority stressors. Development and validation of individual- and couples-based interventions that address coping with sexual minority stressors using methods that decrease rumination and brooding and increase relationship satisfaction are certainly warranted.

Pathways to Hazardous Drinking Among Racially and Socioeconomically Diverse Lesbian Women

“…Participants reported how often during the past 90 days they experienced thoughts such as, “What am I doing to deserve this?” and “Why do I always react this way?” using a 4-point scale ranging from 1 ( almost never ) to 4 ( almost always ). In a previous sample of sexual minority women, Lewis, Milletich, Derlega, & Padilla (2014) demonstrated that the Brooding subscale has adequate reliability. Also, the Brooding subscale was significantly associated with psychological distress and stigma-related stress evidencing the validity of the measure (Hatzenbuehler et al, 2009).…”

Planning a Stigmatized Nonvisible Illness Disclosure: Applying the Disclosure Decision-Making Model

“…People with stigma are often preoccupied with negative thoughts about self, which may provoke rumination and psychological aggression (i.e., Lewis, Milletich, Derlega, & Padilla, 2014). Previous studies have found that stigma becomes a major challenge in disclosure or seeking help (e.g., Corrigan, 2004; Holmes & River, 1998; Vogel, Wade, & Hackler, 2007).…”

Emotional Distress, Alcohol Use, and Bidirectional Partner Violence Among Lesbian Women

“…Individuals who engage in the maladaptive form of rumination, or brooding, fixate on their problems and engage in behaviors that create difficulties in their personal relationships (Nolen-Hoeksema, Wisco, & Lyubomirsky, 2008), including relationship aggression (Goldstein, 2010). Among lesbian women specifically, brooding has also been associated with intimate partner psychological aggression (Lewis, Milletich, Derlega, & Padilla, 2013). …”