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Cited by 115LGBTQ Health, Identity, and PolicyAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Anxiety and related disorders and concealment in sexual minority young adults

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Cohen, Jeffrey M., Blasey, Christine, Barr Taylor, C., Weiss, Brandon J., Newman, Michelle G.·2016·Behavior Therapy
DOI 10.1016/j.beth.2015.09.006PMC PMC6707365
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Abstract

Sexual minorities face greater exposure to discrimination and rejection than heterosexuals. Given these threats, sexual minorities may engage in sexual orientation concealment in order to avoid danger. This social stigma and minority stress places sexual minorities at risk for anxiety and related disorders. Given that three fourths of anxiety disorder onset occurs before the age of 24, the current study investigated the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression in sexual minority young adults relative to their heterosexual peers. Secondarily, the study investigated sexual orientation concealment as a predictor of anxiety and related disorders. A sample of 157 sexual minority and 157 heterosexual young adults matched on age and gender completed self-report measures of the aforementioned disorders, and indicated their level of sexual orientation concealment. Results revealed that sexual minority young adults reported greater symptoms relative to heterosexuals across all outcome measures. There were no interactions between sexual minority status and gender, however, women had higher symptoms across all disorders. Sexual minority young women appeared to be at the most risk for clinical levels of anxiety and related disorders. In addition, concealment of sexual orientation significantly predicted symptoms of social phobia. Implications are offered for the cognitive and behavioral treatment of anxiety and related disorders in this population.

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  • Sexual minorities have a higher risk for psychopathology and higher levels and rates of anxiety-related disorders than heterosexual individuals.

    “sexual minorities are at increased risk for psychopathology, experiencing both higher levels and rates of anxiety-related disorders compared to heterosexual individuals (Cohen et al., 2016; Gilman et al., 2001; Potoczniak et al., 2007; Safren & Pantalone, 2006; Seelman, et al., 2017).”

    From Examination of outcomes among sexual minorities in treatment for obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (2022) · cites this paper as Cohen et al., 2016

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3 of the 73 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Beck AT, Steer RA, & Brown GK (1996). Manual for the Beck Depression Inventory-II (2nd ed.). San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
  2. Marks IM (1969). Fears and phobias. Oxford, England: Academic Press.
  3. Martin JJ, & D’Augelli AD (2009). Timed lives: Cohort and period effects in research on sexual orientation and gender identity In Meezan W, & Martin JJ (Eds.), Handbook of research with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered populations (pp. 191– 209). New York: Routledge.

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Authors
Cohen, J. M., Blasey, C., Barr Taylor, C., Weiss, B. J., & Newman, M. G.
Affiliations
  • VA Palo Alto Health Care System (US)
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
Corresponding author
Cohen, Jeffrey M.
ORCID
Venue
Behavior Therapy
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-01
Volume
47
Issue
1
Pages
91-101
ISSN
0005-7894 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.beth.2015.09.006
PMC
PMC6707365
OpenAlex
W1797827568
Cited by
115
References
73
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 4
FWCI
10.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Behavior Therapy (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • ScholarSphere (Penn State Libraries) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • SSRN Electronic Journal (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH100455)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
concealment of sexual orientation, sexual minority young adults, anxiety disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, minority stress, sexual discrimination, gender differences, heterosexual comparison
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety Disorders, Bisexuality, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Minority Groups, Peer Group, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sexual Behavior, Sexuality, Heterosexuality, Young Adult, Self Report

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