Title:
The moderating influence of attachment style on the mental health outcomes of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer young adults experiencing microaggressions
Author:
Elaine G. Dearing
Thesis Advisor:
Frank D. Golom
Committee Member:
Marianna E. Carlucci
Committee Member:
Stephen E. Fowl
Committee Member:
Rachel L. Grover
Degree Granting Institution:
Loyola University Maryland--School of Education
Place:
Baltimore (Md.)
Publisher:
Loyola University Maryland
Date Created:
2023
Type of Resource:
text
Genre:
thesis
Language:
eng
Format:
application/pdf
Physical Form:
electronic
Digital Source:
born digital
Abstract:
This study considered LGBQ young adults’ insecure attachment responses and whether they mitigate the negative mental health outcomes associated with incidents of LGBQ microaggressions on campus. Data were collected from a total of 337 current undergraduate or graduate students, who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer. The first hypothesis was that there would be a positive relationship between exposure to LGBQ microaggressions and mental health outcomes, such that LGBQ young adults with greater exposure to microaggressions would report higher levels of depression and anxiety. LGBQ microaggressions on campus did not significantly contribute to participants’ depression levels. Participants’ experience of LGBQ microaggressions on campus did significantly contribute to participants’ higher levels of anxiety. A second hypothesis that LGBQ young adults with insecure attachment would report higher levels of engagement or disengagement coping was tested and not supported. For the third hypothesis, avoidant attachment did not moderate the link between experiencing LGBQ microaggressions on campus and mental health outcomes. Although anxious attachment moderated the relationship between LGBQ microaggressions on campus for depression and anxiety, it was not in the direction hypothesized. These findings suggest the importance of continuing to determine whether attachment could ameliorate the link between microaggressions and negative mental health outcomes for LGBQ young adults.
Subject:
Academic theses
Subject:
Electronic dissertations
Subject:
Thèses et écrits académiques
Subject:
Thèses électroniques
Subject:
dissertations
Degree:
Doctor of Clinical Psychology
Level:
Doctoral
Discipline:
Psychology
Restrictions on Access:
Author has given permission to make this work available online.
Use and Reproduction:
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Identifier:
DearingEG-24
