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Citation
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Charak R, Cano-Gonzalez I, Ronzón-Tirado R, Schmitz RM, Tabler J, Karsberg S, Flores A, Ford JD. Child Abuse Negl. 2023; 145: e106433. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Exposure to minority stressors specific to LGBTQ+ individuals, such as heterosexism and cissexism (or cisheterosexism) is not covered under the traditional adverse childhood experiences framework. This is important because childhood identity-related abuse by a parent/caregiver can lead to mental health challenges in later life through the adoption of maladaptive coping mechanisms.
OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to examine the role of cisheterosexism and expressive suppression as serial mediators in the associations between identity-related abuse and depressive symptoms and suicide behavior. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Participants included 563 LGBTQ+ identifying adults between 18 and 64 years (M = 30.02, SD = 9.05) from different regions of Spain and were recruited through social media (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram).
METHOD: A serial mediation model was conducted with cisheterosexism and expressive suppression as the mediators in the associations between LGBTQ+ identity-related childhood abuse and depressive symptoms and suicide behavior.
RESULTS: Findings indicated a positive indirect effect of identity-related abuse on depressive symptoms through cumulative cisheterosexism (B = 0.628, p < .01), and via cumulative cisheterosexism and suppression (B = 0.146, p < .05). No significant indirect effect was found for identity-related abuse on depressive symptoms via suppression (B = 0.086). An indirect effect was found for identity-related abuse on suicide behavior via cumulative cisheterosexism (B = 0.250, p < .01).
CONCLUSIONS: Findings reveal that LGBTQ+ identity-related cisheterosexist experiences perpetrated by parents or caregivers are associated with harmful, long-term impacts on symptoms of depression and suicide behavior via experiences of cisheterosexism and expressive suppression.
Language: en |