Funding Source and Project Period: NIMH, R01; 2003 - 2006

 

HIV Center Key Personnel:

 

Principal Investigator: Ilan Meyer, Ph.D.

Co-Investigators: Joyce Hunter, D.S.W.; Michael Stirratt, Ph.D.;
Robert Kertzner, M.D.

 

Project Overview:

(from abstract)

 

Members of stigmatized groups are exposed to social stressors related to prejudice that may increase their risk for mental health problems. They confront these stressors by engaging in a multitude of coping responses that can protect them from the adverse effects of stress. Minority identities based on social and psychosocial characteristics are important in defining one's self. Stressors in these areas may therefore affect mental health of diverse minority populations. Identities may be related to mental health both on their own -- e.g., negative self-identity may induce mental health problems --- and through interaction with social stressors --- e.g., stress related to a prominent identity may have more adverse effects than stress related to peripheral identities.

 

This three-year research project examines the effect of stress and minority identity related to sexual orientation, race/ethnicity and gender on mental health. The research describes social stressors that affect minority populations, explores the coping and social support resources that they utilize as they confront these social stressors, and assesses the associations of stress and coping with mental health outcomes including mental disorders and wellbeing. The study also explores the impact of various identity characteristics-such as whether an identity is viewed positively or negatively, or whether it is prominent or not-on the relationship of stress and mental health outcomes. The study, using extensive quantitative and some qualitative measures, is a longitudinal survey of 525 men and women between the ages 18 and 59 who are residents of New York City.

 

Selected publications related to this project:

Kertzner, R. M., Meyer, I. H., Frost, D. M., & Stirratt, M. J. (In Press). Social and psychological well-being in lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals: The effects of race, gender, age, and sexual identity.  American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 

 

Meyer, I.H., & Wilson, P.A. (2009). Sampling lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations.  Journal of Counseling Psychology, 56, 23-31.

 

Frost, D. M., & Meyer, I. H. (2009).  Internalized homophobia and relationship quality among lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals.  Journal of Counseling Psychology, 56, 97-109. 

 

Narvaez, R.F., Meyer, I.H., Kertzner, R.M., Ouellette, S.C., & Gordon, A.R. (2009).  A qualitative approach to the intersection of sexual, ethnic, and gender identities.  Identity, 9(1), 63-86.

 

Meyer I.H., & Ouellette, S.C. (2009). Unity and purpose at the intersections of racial/ethnic and sexual identities.  In: P. L. Hammack & B. J. Cohler (Eds.), The Story of Sexual Identity: Narrative, Social Change, and the Development of Sexual Orientation (p. 79-106). New York: Oxford University Press.

 

Meyer, I. H., Schwartz, S., & Frost, D. M. (2008).  Social patterning of stress and coping: Does disadvantaged status confer excess exposure and fewer coping resources?  Social Science & Medicine, 67, 368-379.

 

Gordon, A. R., & Meyer, I.H. (2008).  Gender nonconformity as a target of prejudice, discrimination, and violence against LGB individuals.  Journal of LGBT Health Research, 3(3), 55-71.

 

Stirratt, M. J., Meyer, I. H., Ouellette, S. C., & Gara, M. (2008).  Assessing the intersectionality of identities through HICLAS analysis.  Self & Identity, 7 (1), 89-111.  

 

Meyer, I.H., Dietrich, J.D., Schwartz, S. (2008).  Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in diverse lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations.  American Journal of Public Health, 98(6), 1004 - 1006. 

 

Feldman, M. B., & Meyer, I. H. (2007b).  Childhood abuse and eating disorders in gay and bisexual men.  International Journal of Eating Disorders, 40, 418 – 423.

 

Feldman, M. B., & Meyer, I. H. (2007a).  Eating disorders in diverse lesbian and gay populations.  International Journal of Eating Disorders, 40(3), 218-226.

 

Meyer, I. H. (2003).  Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: conceptual issues and research evidence.  Psychological Bulletin, 129(5), 674-697.

 

Under Review

The following papers are under review.  Please do not cite or quote any text without expressed permission from the authors. 

 

Frost, D. M., & Meyer, I. H. (Under Review).  Measuring community connectedness among diverse sexual minority populations.  Manuscript Under Review.

 

Feldman, M. B., & Meyer, I. H. (Under Review).  Comorbidity and age of onset of eating disorders in gay men, lesbians and bisexuals.  Manuscript Under Review.