Adult attachment and minority stress in lesbian and gay people in Italy

Abstract

As widely demonstrated, minority stress negatively affects well-being of LGBTQIA+ people. Recently, the literature has inquired into the psychological factors that may explain individual differences in levels of minority stressors experienced. In particular, some studies have focused on the role of adult attachment, although further studies seem necessary to understand its impact on proximal minority stressors. Through three multiple regression models, the present research analyzed the impact of adult attachment avoidance and anxiety on perceived stigma, internalized homonegativity and sexual orientation concealment, controlling for theeffect of proximaland distal minority stressors. One hundred and twenty-one people who self-identified as lesbian or gay and were involved in a romantic relationship when completing the questionnaire participated in the research. After controlling for the effect of distal and proximal minority stressors, data support a positive relationship between attachment anxiety and internalized homonegativity, and between attachment avoidance and sexual orientation concealment. However, the latter regression model was not significant. Finally, no significant relationship emerged between adult attachment and perceived stigma. The results are at least in part in line with the scarce literature on the topic. Further studies are needed to further support and extend the data emerging in the present study, in order to inform interventions aimed at promoting the well-being of LGBTQIA+ people.

Keywords

• adult attachment
• minority stress
• perceived stigma
• internalized homonegativity
• sexual orientation concealment
• LGBTQIA