This research focuses on the relationship between sources of minority stress and the quality of same-sex couples’ relationships. Interdependence theory and the minority stress model are used to examine actor-partner effects of internalized homophobia, discrimination, and perceived stress on perceptions of relationship quality in same-sex couples. Couples were recruited through web-based solicitations (N = 131). Path analysis and Kenny’s (1996) technique for examining interdependent relationships for exchangeable dyad members were used to identify between- and within-couple differences. Internalized homophobia and discrimination were found to impact couple members in unique ways. Higher levels of internalized homophobia and discrimination were predictive of less favorable perceptions of relationship quality. As hypothesized, the impact of perceived discrimination and/or victimization was mediated by perceived stress.
Allison, K. W. (1998). Stress and oppressed category membership. In J. K. Swim & C. Stangor (Eds.), Prejudice: The target’s perspective (pp. 145-170). San Diego, CA: Academic .
2.
Beach, S. R. H. , Katz, J. , Kim, S. , & Brody, G. H. (2003). Prospective effects of marital satisfaction on depressive symptoms in established marriages: A dyadic model . Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 20, 355-371 .
3.
Berscheid, E. , & Reis, H. T. (1998). Attraction and close relationships. In D. T. Gilbert , S. T. Fiske , & G. Lindzey (Eds.), The handbook of social psychology (pp. 193-281). New York: McGraw-Hill .
4.
Bohan, J. S. (1996). Psychology and sexual orientation: Coming to terms. New York: Routledge .
5.
Breslau, N. , & Kessler, R. C. (2001). The stressor criterion in DSM-IV posttraumatic stress disorder: An empirical investigation . Biological Psychiatry, 50, 699-704 .
6.
Brooks, V. R. (1981). Minority stress and lesbian women. Lexington, MA: D. C. Heath and Company .
7.
Carlson, E. B. , & Ruzek, J. (2004). PTSD and the family: A National Center for PTSD fact sheet. Retrieved July 2, 2004 from http://www.ncptsd.org/facts/specific/fs_family.html
8.
Clark, R. , Anderson, N. B. , Clark, V. R. , & Williams, D. R. (1999). Racism as a stressor for African Americans: A biopsychosocial model . American Psychologist, 54, 805-816 .
9.
Cohen, S. (1988). Psychosocial models of the role of social support in the etiology of physical disease . Health Psychology, 7, 269-297 .
10.
Cramer, D. S. (2003). Facilitativeness, conflict, demand for approval, self-esteem, and satisfaction in romantic relationships . Journal of Psychology, 137, 85-98 .
11.
Crocker, J. , Major, B. , & Steele, C. (1998). Social stigma. In D. Gilbert , S. T. Fiske , & G. Lindzey (Eds.), The handbook of social psychology (pp. 504-553). Boston: McGraw-Hill .
12.
DiPlacido, J. (1998). Minority stress among lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals: A consequence of heterosexism, homophobia, and stigmatization. In G. M. Herek (Ed.), Volume 4: Stigma and sexual orientation: Understanding prejudice against lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals (pp. 138-159). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications .
13.
Ellis, A. L. , & Riggle, E. D. B. (Eds.) (1996). Sexual identity on the job: Issues and services. New York: Haworth Press .
14.
Eskridge, W. N. (1996). The case for same-sex marriage. New York: Free Press .
15.
Gaines, Jr., S. O. (2001). Coping with prejudice: Personal relationship partners as sources of socioemotional support stigmatized individuals . Journal of Social Issues, 57, 113-128 .
16.
Garnets, L. D. , & Kimmel, D. C. (1993). Lesbian and gay male dimensions in the psychological study of human diversity. In L. D. Garnets & D. C. Kimmel (Eds.), Psychological perspectives on lesbian and gay male experiences (pp. 1-51). New York: Columbia University Press .
17.
Hanson, R. F. , Kilpatrick, D. G. , Falsetti, S. A. , Resnick, H. S. , & Weaver, T. (1995). Violent crime and mental health. In J. R. Freedy & S. E. Hobfoll (Eds.), Traumatic stress: From theory to practice (pp. 129-162). New York: Plenum Press .
18.
Hendrick, S. S. (1988). A generic measure of relationship satisfaction . Journal of Marriage and the Family, 50, 93-98 .
19.
Herek, G. M. , Gillis, J. R. , & Cogan, J. C. (1999). Psychological sequelae of hate-crime victimization among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults . Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67, 945-951 .
20.
Herek, G. M. , Gillis, J. R. , Cogan, J. C. , & Glunt, E. K. (1997). Hate crime victimization among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults: Prevalence, psychological correlates, and methodological issues . Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 12, 195-215 .
21.
Kelley, H. H. , & Thibaut, J. W. (1978). Interpersonal relations: A theory of interdependence. New York: Wiley .
22.
Kenny, D. A. (n.d.). Dyadic analysis. Retrieved November 3, 2003 from http://users.rcn.com/dakenny/dyad.htm
23.
Kenny, D. A. (1996). Models of interdependence in dyadic research . Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 13, 279-294 .
24.
Kurdek, L. A. (1988). Perceived social support in gays and lesbians in cohabiting relationships . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 504-509 .
25.
Kurdek, L. A. (1991). Correlates of relationship satisfaction in cohabiting gay and lesbian couples: Integration of contextual, investment, and problem-solving models . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61, 910-922 .
26.
Kurdek, L. A. (1994). Areas of conflict for gay, lesbian, and heterosexual couples: What couples argue about influences relationship satisfaction . Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56, 923-934 .
27.
Lane, J. D. , & Wegner, D. M. (1995). The cognitive consequences of secrecy . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 237-254 .
28.
Lewis, R. J. , Derlega, V. J. , Berndt, A. , Morris, L. M. , & Rose, S. (2001). An empirical analysis of stressors for gay men and lesbians . Journal of Homosexuality, 42, 63-88 .
29.
Mays, V. M. , & Cochran, S. D. (2001). Mental health correlates of perceived discrimination among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in the United States . American Journal of Public Health, 91, 1869-1876 .
30.
Meyer, I. H. (1995). Minority stress and mental health in gay men . Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 36, 38-56 .
31.
Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence . Psychological Bulletin, 129, 674-697 .
32.
Meyer, I. H. , & Dean, L. (1998). Internalized homophobia, intimacy, and sexual behavior among gay and bisexual men. In G. M. Herek (Ed.), Stigma and sexual orientation: Understanding prejudice against lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals (pp. 160-186). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications .
33.
Miller, C. T. , & Kaiser, C. R. (2001). A theoretical perspective on coping with stigma . Journal of Social Issues, 57, 73-92 .
34.
Murry, V. M. , Brown, P. A. , Brody, G. H. , Cutrona, C. E. , & Simons, R. L. (2001). Racial discrimination as a moderator of the links among stress, maternal psychological functioning, and family relationships . Journal of Marriage and the Family, 63, 915-926 .
35.
Myers, D. G. , & Diener, E. (1995). Who is happy?Psychological Science, 6, 10-19 .
36.
Otis, M. D. , & Skinner, W. F. (1996). The prevalence of victimization and its effect on mental well-being among lesbian and gay people . Journal of Homosexuality, 30, 93-121 .
37.
Peplau, A. (1993). Lesbian and gay relationships. In L. D. Garnets & D. C. Kimmel (Eds.), Psychological perspectives on lesbian and gay male experiences (pp. 395-419). New York: Columbia University Press .
38.
Peters, M. F. , & Massey, G. C. (1983). Mundane extreme environmental stress in family stress theories: The case of black families in white America . Marriage and Family Review, 6, 193-218 .
39.
Ross, M. W. & Rosser, B. R. S. (1996). Measurement and correlates of internalized homophobia: A factor analytic study . Journal of Clinical Psychology, 52, 15-21 .
40.
Rostosky, S. S. , & Riggle, E. D. B. (2002). ‘Out’ at work: The relation of actor and partner workplace policy and internalized homophobia to disclosure status . Journal of Counseling Psychology, 49, 411-419 .
41.
Saffrey, C. , Bartholomew, K. , Scharfe, E. , Henderson, A. J. Z. , & Koopman, R. (2003). Self- and partner-perceptions of interpersonal problems and relationship functioning . Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 20, 117-139 .
42.
Salovey, P. , Rothman, A. J. , & Rodin, J. (1998). Social psychology and health behavior. In D. T. Gilbert , S. T. Fiske , & G. Lindzey (Eds.), The handbook of social psychology (pp. 633-683). New York: McGraw-Hill .
43.
Savin-Williams, R. C. , & Rodriguez, R. G. (1993). A developmental, clinical perspective on lesbian, gay male, and bisexual youths. In T. P. Gullota , G. R. Adams , & R. Monemayor (Eds.), Adolescent Sexuality: Advances in Adolescent development (pp. 77-101). Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications .
44.
Shidlo, A. (1994). Internalized homophobia: Conceptual and empirical issues in measurement. In B. Greene & G. M. Herek (Eds.), Lesbian and gay psychology: Theory, research, and clinical applications (pp. 176-205). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications .
45.
Stein, T. S. , & Cabaj, R. P. (1996). Psychotherapy with gay men. In R. P. Cabaj & T. S. Stein (Eds.), Textbook of homosexuality and mental health (pp. 413-432). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press .
46.
Tesser, A. , & Beach, S. R. H. (1998). Life events, relationship quality, and depression: An investigation of judgment discontinuity in vivo . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 36-52 .
47.
Weston, K. (1997). Families we choose: Lesbians, gays, kinship. New York: Columbia University Press .
48.
Wright, E. R. , Dye, J. D. , Jiles, M. E. , & Marcello, M. K. (1999). Empowering gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth: Findings from the Indiana youth access project (Final Evaluation Report). Indianapolis, IN: Indiana University .
49.
Wright, E. R. , & Perry, B. L. (2002). Sexual identity distress, social support, and the health of gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth. Manuscript submitted for publication.
