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Coping Styles as Mediator of Sexual Orientation-Related Health Differences

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Abstract

The higher prevalence of health problems in homosexual compared to heterosexual populations is usually understood as a consequence of minority stress. We hypothesized that differential rates of health problems also could result from sexual orientation-related differences in coping styles. We explored this using data collected in a general population-based study (N = 9684) via face-to-face interviews. A higher prevalence of both mental and physical health problems, as assessed with individual questions, the GHQ-12, and checklists, was observed in homosexual compared to heterosexual men and women. Coping style was related to sexual orientation in men, but not in women. Compared to heterosexual men, homosexual men more strongly applied emotion-oriented and avoidance coping strategies. Emotion-oriented coping mediated the differences in mental and physical health between heterosexual and homosexual men. Findings suggest the importance of further exploration of the development and use of emotion-oriented and avoidance coping by homosexual men.

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Acknowledgements

The overall study was mainly financed directly or indirectly by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sports. In addition, the “Stichting Centraal Fonds RVVZ” contributed financially to the study. Data analysis and report writing were supported by an additional grant from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sports to the Rutgers Nisso Groep and the NIMH center grant P30-MH43520 to the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies. The authors would like to thank Robert Kertzner, Cheng-Shiun Leu, and Jeffrey Weiss for their support in conceptualizing the study, and analyzing and reporting the findings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 15, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Theo G. M. Sandfort

  2. Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Theo G. M. Sandfort

  3. Rutgers Nisso Groep, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Floor Bakker & Ine Vanwesenbeeck

  4. Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    François Schellevis

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  1. Theo G. M. Sandfort
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  2. Floor Bakker
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  3. François Schellevis
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  4. Ine Vanwesenbeeck
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Correspondence to Theo G. M. Sandfort.

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Sandfort, T.G.M., Bakker, F., Schellevis, F. et al. Coping Styles as Mediator of Sexual Orientation-Related Health Differences. Arch Sex Behav 38, 253–263 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-007-9233-9

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