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Stressors arising from the COVID-19 pandemic can spill over into the quality of couple relationships, with negative consequences on mental health. The mental health impact of COVID-19 might be particularly pronounced in disadvantaged populations such as LGBT people. This study aimed to examine direct and indirect dyadic associations between emotional impact of COVID-19 and depressive symptoms through relationship satisfaction in male same-sex couples. Using a cross-sectional design, 158 male same-sex Chilean couples completed self-report measures of the emotional impact of COVID-19, relationship satisfaction and depressive symptoms. We used the actor-partner interdependence mediation model for indistinguishable dyads to explore the direct and indirect dyadic associations. Results indicated that each partner's perceived emotional impact of COVID-19 was associated with his own higher depressive symptoms directly and indirectly, through his own lower relationship satisfaction. The other partner's perceived emotional impact of COVID-19 was associated with one's own higher depressive symptoms only directly. Our findings reinforce the notion that satisfactory couple relationships can act as a protective factor against depression in the LGBT population. Programs to promote adaptive coping strategies to deal with the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may have beneficial effects for the emotional adjustment of male same-sex couples, also by promoting relationship satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterosexism is not only expressed through sexual prejudice as an external stressor, but also as an internalized rejection toward one's own (and others') sexually diverse identity. That is, lesbian women and gay men themselves internalize negative societal attitudes toward their sexual orientation and identity—a phenomenon called internalized homonegativity. A wealth of research shows that internalized homonegativity negatively affects the health and social adjustment of gay and lesbian people. However, the literature has documented this trend from an individual (over a dyadic) perspective, and largely among gay (over lesbian) samples. To address this oversight, we analyzed data from 210 gay and lesbian couples in Chile to examine both actor and partner effects of internalized homonegativity on their sexual satisfaction. Results from moderation analyses from an actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) approach show that partners' internalized homonegativity negatively affects actor sexual satisfaction, a pattern significantly moderated by gender; that is, only observed among lesbian couples. Our results further demonstrated that these effects hold above and beyond the actor and partner effects of age and relationship satisfaction, as well as relationship length. These results are consistent with the broader literature, which discusses the specific features of internalized homonegativity in lesbian women, characterized—among other aspects—by restrictive social demands over their sexuality. Accordingly, our findings highlight the deleterious relational consequences of internalized homonegativity and offer a relevant empirical contribution to the understanding of specific minority stress dynamics among lesbian women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although system-justifying beliefs often mitigate perceptions of discrimination, status-based asymmetries in the ideological motivators of perceived discrimination are unknown. Because the content and societal implications of discrimination claims are status-dependant, social dominance orientation (SDO) should motivate perceptions of (reverse) discrimination among members of high-status groups, whereas system justification should motivate the minimization of perceived discrimination among the disadvantaged. We tested these hypotheses using multilevel regressions among a nationwide random sample of New Zealand Europeans (n = 29,169) and ethnic minorities (n = 5,118). As hypothesized, group-based dominance correlated positively with perceived (reverse) discrimination among ethnic-majority group members, whereas system justification correlated negatively with perceived discrimination among the disadvantaged. Furthermore, the proportion of minorities within the region strengthened the victimizing effects of SDO-Dominance, but not SDO-Egalitarianism, among the advantaged. Together, these results reveal status-based asymmetries in the motives underlying perceptions of discrimination and identify a key contextual moderator of this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attachment theory has proven to be a solid framework for understanding couple bonds, but research focused on same-sex relationships among gay men and lesbian women from Latin America remains limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between romantic attachment and relationship satisfaction in a sample of Chilean gay men and lesbian women. A snowball sampling was used. The final sample consisted of 259 individuals involved in a same-sex couple relationship, ranging from 18 to 66 years of age (M = 27.2, SD = 6.8) for gay men and 18 to 57 years of age (M = 28.6, SD = 8.1) for lesbian women. Our hypotheses were partially supported, as there was a negative association between attachment avoidance and relationship satisfaction, but not between attachment anxiety and relationship satisfaction. We did not find a gender moderating effect. These findings may contribute to the understanding of lesbian and gay people in a same-sex couples relationship from an attachment theory perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

System justification theory posits that perceiving society as fair and legitimate provides palliative benefits to people who endorse such beliefs. Despite mixed evidence among socially disadvantaged groups, recent evidence shows that members of disadvantaged groups minimize perceptions of discrimination in order to reap palliative benefits. We tested this hypothesis in a sample of gay men and lesbians in Chile (N = 467). Specifically, we examined the effects of system justification on psychological distress, and the mediating role of perceived sexual stigma. As expected, system justification was negatively associated with psychological distress via minimizing perceptions of sexual stigma towards the in-group. Our study replicates previous results, and unveils a soporific mechanism of system-justifying beliefs: that of providing palliative benefits to sexual minorities' well-being by minimizing perceptions of their in-group as target of sexual stigma. Considerations for the well-being and status of sexual minorities and their unwitting compliance with heteronormativity are further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social networks are a fundamental piece of the current communication, allowing the participation of people in the construction of news through the expression of their opinions. This study explores the presence of rape myths in social networks in the case of the rape and suicide complaint of Antonia Barra Parra, a 21-year-old Chilean woman. Thematic analysis in the framework of social phenomenology was used to analyze comments posted in four news videos, produced by Chilean open television channels and available on the YouTube platform. Four general themes were identified: topics related to her, related to the rape, topics related to stereotypes, and related to suicide, the first three referring to rape myths, and the fourth to the victim's suicide. This study evidence that rape myths described in the literature are present in the discourses of the social networks, showing high levels of misogynist and depreciation of women. In addition, particular rape myths emerge, which are related to stereotypes associated with hegemonic beauty and the social status of the victim and the aggressor. The contents related to suicide show two themes: comments that reinforce rape myths and comments that interpret suicide as an act that unveils sexual aggression. These results suggest that social networks are useful to study how individuals reproduce rape culture in the analysis of sexual violence cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transgender population is at a higher risk of suffering mental health problems than cisgender population (people whose sex and gender identity are in agreement) and other sexual minorities (gays, lesbians, and bisexuals), partly due to the greater stress that they suffer or for being victims of sexual prejudice., Aim: To describe positive and negative mental health indicators in a sample of transgender people living in Chile., Material and Methods: An intentional sample of 377 transgender individuals older than 18 years, living in the country's northern, center and southern zones were studied. Sociodemographic and well-being features, negative emotional symptoms, suicidal behavior, and substance consumption were assessed., Results: A precarious mental health was confirmed among participants. A high frequency of depression, ideation and suicide attempts, and high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were identified. Also, a high frequency of substance abuse was found. These mental health indicators varied according to the sex assigned at birth and gender self-identification., Conclusions: Transgender people experience precariousness and vulnerability in their mental health.

Background: Most of the information in Chile about health and wellbeing of sexual minorities refers to risk behaviors., Aim: To assess health and wellbeing in a sample of Chilean homosexual men and women., Material and Methods: Spanish versions of the Satisfaction With Life Scale and Outcome Questionnaire-45 (OQ-45) were answered by 191 homosexual women and 256 homosexual men aged 18 to 67 years, from four Chilean cities., Results: Lesbian women have better levels of satisfaction with life and adjustment in personal relationships than homosexual men. Eight percent of respondents had suicidal thoughts in some moment of their life., Conclusions: The information gathered in this work could help in the development of mental health policies for sexual minorities.