| dc.description.abstract | The study sought to explore the relationship between general stress, discrimination, internalized stigmas, social support, and physical health outcomes among lesbian, gay, and bisexual people of color. A relationship between discrimination and emotional and physical health has been established among sexual minorities (Frost, Lehavot, & Meyer, 2015) and racial and ethnic groups (Hahm, Ozonoff, Gaumond, & Sue, 2010), aligning with the theories of minority stress (Brooks, 1981; Meyer, 2003). Internalized stigmas (i.e., internalized racism and homonegativity) and social support have also been shown to influence general physical health. The current study explored whether (a) greater levels of general stress, internalized stigmas, perceived discrimination, and lower levels of social support would predict an increase in physical health symptoms; and (b) greater levels of discrimination would predict an increase in physical health symptoms after controlling for all other variables and relevant demographics. All predictor variables and the interactions of perceived discrimination x internalized racism and perceived discrimination x internalized homonegativity were entered into a hierarchical regression model. Perceived general stress, internalized racism, perceived discrimination, and perceived discrimination x internalized racism were found to be significant predictors of physical health symptoms. | en_US |
