Drag performance and health: Predicting depression and resilience.

Abstract

Researchers and scholars suggest that aspects of drag performance (e.g., social connections, creative achievement) increase resilience in LGBTQþ communities. Scholars also suggest, however, that drag performance exposes performers to risk and performers may be more depressed than other LGBTQþ people. Researchers have yet to demonstrate ways that different aspects of drag performance (e.g., social support, creative achievement) may relate to depression and resilience for drag performers. To address this gap in the literature, researchers administered surveys to 163 drag performers who were 18 years old or older. Participants completed measures of drag involvement, creativity, social relationships (with family and friends), depression, and resilience. The researchers tested two competing nonparametric hierarchical regression models, one that predicted depression and another that predicted resilience. In the depression model, higher quality of both family and friend relationships predicted lower levels of depression. In the resilience model, higher quality of friend relationships predicted higher levels of resilience. In step 2 of the resilience model, creativity shared a curvilinear association with resilience. Implications for health research and LGBTQþ resilience are discussed. Recommendations for future research with drag performers include expanded investigations of family relationships and of the role of creativity in social support and resilience. Public Significance StatementThis study provides additional evidence of elevated depression rates in drag performance populations, but it goes a step further by exploring resilience dynamics in drag performers. In particular, social support and some aspects of creativity were associated resilience, suggesting that drag may be used as a therapeutic, community-building tool by health professionals.