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Comparing Psychosocial Adjustment Across the College Transition in a Matched Heterosexual and Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Sample
- Journal of College Student Development
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Volume 56, Number 2, March 2015
- pp. 155-169
- 10.1353/csd.2015.0017
- Article
- Additional Information
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We compared a matched sample of heterosexual and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) students on 5 psychosocial adjustment composites, longitudinally across the transitional first year of college. Both LGB and heterosexual students experienced a significant increase in psychological distress over the first semester, along with significant decreases in psychological well-being and cognitive-affective strengths. Across the entire first year, LGB students demonstrated consistently greater psychological distress, greater cognitive-affective vulnerabilities, and less social well-being compared to heterosexual peers. This research indicates specific challenges that LGB students experience during the first year of university, suggesting opportunities for promoting successful transitions through this developmental milestone.