Benjamin F. Shepherd

Sexual minoritized men (SMM) experience disproportionate rates of eating and body image disturbances relative to their heterosexual counterparts due, in part, to exposure to sociocultural stressors. Research often represents SMM as a monolith, precluding understanding of within-group heterogeneity. There is limited research examining differences between SMM based on intimate partner preferences or sexual self-labels, including "top," "bottom," and "versatile." These labels denote preferences for insertive, receptive, or either type of intercourse, respectively. The present study examined how thinness- and muscularity-oriented eating and body image disturbances and sociocultural variables (i.e., distal and proximal minority stressors, tripartite influence model variables) differ across sexual self-label subgroups, including those not identifying with any label. Participants were U.S.-residing SMM between the ages of 18 and 30 years (M = 25.43, SD = 3.01; N= 375; tops, n = 104, bottoms, n = 60, versatiles, n = 175, no self-label, n = 36) recruited via Prolific. Results indicated significant group differences in muscularity-oriented eating and body image disturbances, internalized heterosexism, and within-community body stigma. Versatiles reported greater muscularity-oriented disordered eating than those without self-labels. Bottoms reported greater muscularity-oriented body dissatisfaction than tops, versatiles, and those without self-labels. Individuals not identifying with any sexual self-label reported greater internalized heterosexism than versatiles and lower within-community body stigma than all other groups. Findings highlight the role of sexual self-labels in explaining meaningful heterogeneity in eating and body image disturbances and sociocultural stressors among SMM. Future research should replicate and extend our analyses to elucidate the temporal pathways and mechanisms underlying these associations.

Participation within gay communities can foster belonging but also intraminority stigma, potentially leading to avoidance, smaller social networks, and worse mental health. Guided by temporal intersectional minority stress theory and intraminority gay community stress theory, this cross-sectional study examined age differences in gay-specific intraminority stigma experiences, community involvement, and their associations among 2,159 gay men aged 19-79 years (M_age = 40.49, SD = 13.43). Compared to younger gay men, older gay men experienced more age stigma from other gay men, but less stigma related to body size/shape, gender expression, race/ethnicity, and nonconformity to mainstream community norms. However, older gay men with lower socioeconomic status (SES) and higher weight reported more intraminority socioeconomic and body stigma, respectively, relative to their younger counterparts. Intraminority body stigma was negatively associated with community involvement among gay men under 30 and positively associated among gay men over 59. Additionally, older gay men with lower status in gay spaces (i.e., lower masculinity, lower SES, higher weight, non-White, non-Democrat) experienced more intraminority gender expression stigma and less community involvement, but less acutely than their younger counterparts. Longitudinal and intersectional research is needed to better understand the clinical implications of intraminority stigma for the psychosocial well-being of gay men across the lifespan.

Latter-day Saint (LDS) sexual minoritized (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer) persons may face unique challenges to forming and maintaining satisfying romantic connections. Grounded in minority stress theory and relational-cultural theory, the current study examined authenticity as a statistical mediator underlying the association between indicators of proximal minority stress (i.e., identity concealment and internalized homonegativity) and relationship satisfaction among a sample of 237 LDS sexual minoritized adults who were in a committed relationship (i.e., partnered) at the time of the study. In addition, level of connectedness to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) and LDS communities was examined as a moderator of these associations. Cross-sectional mediation and moderated mediation analyses were completed using the SPSS PROCESS macro (models 4 and 7). As expected, identity concealment and internalized homonegativity were both indirectly associated with lower relationship satisfaction via lower authenticity. The indirect path from internalized homonegativity to relationship satisfaction via authenticity was moderated by LGBTQ+ community connectedness; statistical mediation was significant only for participants with higher levels of LGBTQ+ community connectedness. Taken together, these findings underscore the need to consider authenticity and community connectedness when assessing relationship functioning among individuals with multiple, potentially conflicting identity-based group memberships. Such knowledge can help researchers and clinicians develop culturally-responsive individual- and couple-level interventions that best support sexual minoritized Latter-day Saint persons in coping with proximal minority stress and related relationship difficulties.

To identify contextual factors that harm and protect the mental health of Black and Latinx gay and bisexual men, this study examined (a) associations between dating app use and psychological distress over time mediated by sexual racism, with (b) moderation by different sources of supportive social connections (i.e., general social support, gay community connection, and racial/ethnic community connection). Using three waves of the Healthy Young Men's Cohort Study with Black and Latinx gay and bisexual men (N = 412), multiple moderated mediation path analyses were tested. Dating app use was associated with more sexual racism, and sexual racism was positively associated with psychological distress. High, but not low, racial/ethnic community connection diminished the effects of sexual racism on psychological distress, and social support from family and friends and gay community connection did not. Furthermore, the indirect effect of dating app use on psychological symptoms through sexual racism was significant. All social support indicators modified this indirect effect, such that the indirect effects were significant only at low values of general social support and at low racial/ethnic and gay community connection. For Black and Latinx gay and bisexual men, the impact of dating app use on psychological distress may occur through elevated experiences of sexual racism. These associations may be diminished with greater access to general social support and community connection. Findings highlight the dual need for reducing racism on dating apps and for increasing access to general and community-specific forms of social connection and support. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Objectives: LGBTQ+ community involvement is typically considered protective for sexual minoritized men (SMM). However, LGBTQ+ community involvement may expose SMM to body‐image specific pressures (i.e., intraminority body stigma) that may reinforce idealized body ideals and disordered eating in SMM. We examined intraminority body stigma and body dissatisfaction as mediators of the longitudinal association between LGBTQ+ community involvement and disordered eating in SMM. Methods: Two‐hundred and twenty‐five cisgender SMM between (18 and 30 years) were recruited via Prolific. Participants completed surveys at baseline and 3‐ and 6‐month follow‐ups. Prospective serial mediation models examined 3‐month intraminority body stigma and body dissatisfaction as mechanisms of the links between baseline LGBTQ+ community involvement and six‐month disordered eating. Results: Greater baseline LGBTQ+ community involvement predicted increased three‐month intraminority body stigma, which was associated with greater 3‐month thinness‐oriented body dissatisfaction, which, in turn, predicted increased 6‐month thinness‐oriented disordered eating. Simple significant mediation pathways indicated that greater baseline LGBTQ+ community involvement predicted increased three‐month intraminority body stigma, which, in turn, predicted increased 6‐month thinness‐oriented disordered eating in SMM. Prospective models did not describe significant mediation pathways in relation to muscularity‐oriented disordered eating. Thinness and muscularity models suggested that, after accounting for covariates and serial mediators, baseline LGBTQ+ community involvement predicted less disordered eating six months later. Discussion: Intraminority body stigma may be a key mechanism clarifying the link between LGBTQ+ community involvement and thinness‐oriented disordered eating in SMM. Future research should further contextualize body image and eating concerns among LGBTQ+ individuals in the service of reducing eating disorder disparities affecting this community.

Identity concealment thwarts psychological needs of authenticity and belonging, both of which are important for mental health and relationship building. Through the lens of minority stress theory and relational-cultural theory, the present study examined whether identity concealment in the workplace by psychology trainees is indirectly associated with greater burnout and poorer therapeutic relationship quality. To test this hypothesis, a parallel mediation analysis was conducted on data from 335 clinical and counseling psychology doctoral trainees with concealable stigmatized identities using Hayes's (2018) PROCESS macro. As expected, identity concealment at a practicum or internship site was negatively associated with authenticity and belonging, both of which were negatively associated with burnout and positively associated with therapeutic relationship quality. Furthermore, identity concealment was associated with lower therapeutic relationship quality and greater burnout indirectly through lower authenticity and lower belonging. Findings suggest trainees who engage in more identity concealment at their clinical training sites may be at increased risk for burnout and poorer relationships with clients due to limited opportunities for authenticity and belonging. Future research is encouraged to longitudinally examine the impact of identity concealment on professional burnout and relationships, as well as potential protective factors. Such knowledge can support the development of interventions and policies that foster safer, more welcoming work environments for trainees with concealable stigmatized identities.

Sexual minoritized individuals engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) at higher rates than their heterosexual peers. Disclosing one's sexual minoritized identity can put one at risk for experiencing discrimination, which is linked to greater engagement in NSSI. However, discrimination has yet to be tested as a mechanism linking sexual identity disclosure to NSSI. Understanding how sexual identity disclosure impacts NSSI has the potential to inform interventions to reduce sexual orientation disparities in NSSI. To address this gap, the current study examined sexual orientation-based discrimination as a mediator of the longitudinal association between sexual identity disclosure and NSSI among 792 sexual minoritized young adults. Higher levels of disclosure at baseline were associated with greater likelihood of NSSI at two-month follow-up via greater discrimination at one-month follow-up, even after controlling for baseline levels of depression and demographic characteristics. The indirect effect became non-significant after controlling for previous levels of discrimination and NSSI. Findings provide partial support for the hypothesis that identity disclosure may precede exposure to discrimination and, in turn, engagement in NSSI. However, identity disclosure does not appear to predict acute increases in discrimination. Future research is encouraged to examine these prospective associations with longer intervals between assessments, as the indirect effect of identity disclosure on NSSI via discrimination may continue to accumulate over time. Findings highlight the need to reduce discrimination following sexual identity disclosure through the implementation of equitable and affirmative practices in school, healthcare, and other settings to improve the well-being of sexual minoritized young adults.

Objectives: People of color with minoritized sexual identities (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer) experience identity-based challenges from outside and within their communities. Through the integrative lens of minority stress theory and intersectionality, the present study examined identity conflict, also known as conflicts in allegiances-the perceived incongruence between one's sexual and ethnic identities-as a statistical mediator of the association between intersectional discrimination (heterosexist discrimination experienced within the Latinx community and ethnic discrimination experienced within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer [LGBTQ +] community) and mental health outcomes (depression and anxiety). Method: A cross-sectional sample of 452 Latinx sexual minoritized adults living in the United States participated in the study. The PROCESS macro (Model 4; Hayes, 2018) was used to test the hypothesis that heterosexist discrimination experienced within the Latinx community and ethnic discrimination experienced within the LGBTQ + community are associated with depression and anxiety indirectly through identity conflict. In each mediation model, outness to family was included as a covariate, along with participant age, education, generation status, and language preference. Results: Approximately 37% of participants had clinically significant depression scores and 54% had clinically significant anxiety scores. As expected, experiences of intersectional discrimination (i.e., Latinx heterosexist discrimination and LGBTQ + ethnic discrimination) were indirectly associated with depression and anxiety through higher levels of identity conflict. Conclusions: Findings increase awareness of unique psychosocial factors that may underlie mental health inequities affecting Latinx adults with minoritized sexual identities. Such knowledge can facilitate the development of culturally responsive interventions that best support this diverse population by addressing intersectional minority stressors.