Impact and perception of they systematic response to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual minority orientations (LGBTQ+) microaggressions

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual minority orientation (LGBTQ+) microaggressions are subtle behaviours that communicate hostile messages to a targeted person based upon their sexual orientation and/or gender identity (Sue et al., 2007). Quantitative research on college campuses suggests that LGBTQ+ people who have experienced LGBTQ+ microaggressions have poorer mental health outcomes, lower self-esteem related to their LGBTQ+ identity, and poorer academic performance (Woodford, Chonody, Kulick, Brennan, & Renn, 2015). There is no research to date exploring whether institutional betrayal (IB) exacerbates the mental health symptoms of those who encounter LGBTQ+ microaggressions. IB is the misconduct or mishandling of negative experience(s) by an institution when a person is, in some way, dependent upon that institution (Smith & Freyd, 2014). The current study quantitatively examined the relationship between LGBTQ+ microaggressions, IB, on mental health and academic self-concept. A total of 324 University of Regina students participated. Participants were asked to respond to a survey that assessed LGBTQ+ microaggressions, IB, academic self-concept, and mental health. Results demonstrated that both LGBTQ+ microaggressions and IB were significantly correlated with greater symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Neither LGBTQ+ microaggressions nor IB was significantly correlated with poorer academic self-concept. A regression analysis indicated that LGBTQ+ microaggressions were more associated with negative mental health outcomes than IB. This finding suggests that reducing LGBTQ+ microaggressions that occur on campus is of importance. More research is needed to explore what combats the negative mental health outcomes that are associated with LGBTQ+ microaggressions.