Citation

LeBlanc AJ, Frost DM, Bowen K. J. Marriage Fam. 2018; 80(2): 397-408.

Affiliation

Law Student, University of California Hastings College of Law, 200 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, National Council on Family Relations, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/jomf.12460

PMID

29755137

PMCID

PMC5942902

Abstract

The authors examined whether the perception of unequal relationship recognition, a novel, couple-level minority stressor, has negative consequences for mental health among same-sex couples. Data came from a dyadic study of 100 (N = 200) same-sex couples in the U.S. Being in a legal marriage was associated with lower perceived unequal recognition and better mental health; being in a registered domestic partnership or civil union - not also legally married - was associated with greater perceived unequal recognition and worse mental health. Actor Partner Interdependence Models tested associations between legal relationship status, unequal relationship recognition, and mental health (nonspecific psychological distress, depressive symptomatology, and problematic drinking), net controls (age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and income). Unequal recognition was consistently associated with worse mental health, independent of legal relationship status. Legal changes affecting relationship recognition should not be seen as simple remedies for addressing the mental health effects of institutionalized discrimination.

Language: en

Keywords

Alcohol abuse; Dyadic/couple data; Gay; Mental health; Stress; and/or resiliency; bisexual; coping; lesbian; transgender