Perceived parental religiosity as a predictor of depression and substance use among LGBTQ+ individuals: The mediating role of perceived familial stigma.

Abstract

LGBTQ+ individuals are at increased risk of experiencing mental health concerns including depression and substance use. Understanding these mental health disparities has been an increasing focus for researchers, but there is still limited research on the relationship between religion and depression and substance use among LGBTQ+ individuals. In the current study, it was theorized that higher perceived parental religiosity influences current experiences of depression and alcohol and substance use/abuse through the mediator of the perceived familial stigma of sexuality (stigmatizing behaviors experienced in the home). Individuals (N = 427) who identified as gay/lesbian, queer, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, and/or demisexual were recruited for the study. Results showed that perceived parental religiosity was positively linked to both current reports of depression, alcohol use, and cannabis use. In line with predictions, perceived familial stigma of sexuality was found to fully mediate the relationships between perceived parental religiosity and depression and cannabis use and to partially mediate the relationship between perceived parental religiosity and alcohol use. Furthermore, there was a moderating effect of gender, showing that gay men experienced the strongest links between perceived parental religiosity and perceived familial stigma and between perceived familial stigma and depression, alcohol use, and cannabis use. The findings of this study implicate perceived familial stigma of sexuality as an important factor that could explain how perceived parental religiosity increases LGBTQ+ individuals' experiences of mental health concerns.

Stigma and anxiety and depressive symptoms in parents of sexual and gender minority youth.

“…For instance, our findings demonstrate that anti-SGM religious animus is correlated with experiences of stigma and anxiety and depressive symptoms in parents of SGM youth. While the present study is the first to assess the role of religious acceptance in parents’ stigma experiences, this finding is aligned with research showing that SGM people themselves who reside in less-accepting religious communities face heightened exposure to stigma and associated negative emotional and health consequences (Crowell et al, 2015; Hatzenbuehler et al, 2012; Macbeth et al, 2022).…”

Discrimination, Mental Health, and Suicidal Ideation among Sexual Minority Adults in Latin America: Considering the Roles of Social Support and Religiosity

“…Perceived religiosity of others and how their religiosity relates to one's LGBT identity may influence if, and to what degree, one's own religiosity can buffer or exacerbate negative mental health outcomes. For example, LGBT identity-related familial stigma has been found to mediate the relationship between parental religiosity and depressive symptoms and substance use among LGBT individuals, with greater familial stigma being linked to greater depressive symptoms and substance use [74]. Additionally, the relationship between religiosity of one's parents and familial stigma of one's sexual orientation was found to be greater in men than in women [74].…”