Psychosis risk for lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

The social defeat hypothesis posits that low status and repeated humiliation increase the risk for psychotic disorders (PDs) and psychotic experiences (PEs). The purpose of this paper was to provide a systematic review of studies on risk of PDs and PEs among lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) people and a quantitative synthesis of any difference in risk. PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and Web of Science were searched from database inception until January 30, 2024. Two independent reviewers assessed the eligibility and quality of studies, extracted effect sizes, and noted the results of mediation analyses. Using a random effects model we computed pooled odds ratios (ORs). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. The search identified seven studies of PDs and six of PEs. As for PDs, the unadjusted (2.13; 95% confidence interval 0.72–6.34) and covariate-adjusted pooled OR (2.24; 1.72–3.53) were not significantly increased for LGB individuals. After exclusion of a study of limited quality, both the unadjusted pooled OR (2.77; 1.21–6.32) and the covariate-adjusted pooled OR (2.67; 1.53–4.66) were significantly increased. The pooled ORs were increased for PEs: unadjusted, pooled OR = 1.97 (1.47–2.63), covariate-adjusted, pooled OR = 1.85 (1.50–2.28). Studies of PE that examined the mediating role of several variables reported that the contribution of drug abuse was small compared to that of psychosocial stressors. The results of a study in adolescents suggested a protective effect of parental support. These findings suggest an increased psychosis risk for LGB people and support the social defeat hypothesis.