Online Program

328079
Spirituality and multiple dimensions of religion are associated with mental health in gay and bisexual men: Results from the One Thousand Strong panel


Monday, November 2, 2015 : 12:56 p.m. - 1:09 p.m.

Jonathan Lassiter, PhD, Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST), Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY
Christian Grov, PhD, MPH, Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences, Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center of CUNY, and the Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training, Brooklyn, NY
Ana Ventuneac, PhD, Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST), Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY
Tyrel Starks, PhD, Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST), Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY
Jeffrey T. Parsons, PhD, Department of Psychology and the Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST), Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY
Background: The impact of religion/spirituality on mental health among gay/bisexual men  (GBM) is understudied; they are often measured as unidimensional constructs with a focus on negative health outcomes.

Methods: 1,071 racially diverse, nationally recruited GBM completed an online survey that measured sociodemographic characteristics, religiosity, religious coping, spirituality, exposure to religious antigay messages (RAMS) in religious settings, depression, rejection sensitivity, resilience, and social support. Hierarchal linear regressions determined the associations between each mental health variable and the sociodemographic variables and spirituality/religion variables.

Results: Only GBM who completed the RAMS (n=227) were included. These men were more likely to have completed college, had higher incomes, and higher levels of spirituality, religiosity, and religious coping than men who did not complete the RAMS. All spirituality and religion variables were significantly associated with mental health outcomes after controlling for sociodemographic variables. Spirituality was negatively associated with depression (p<.001) and rejection sensitivity (p<.05), and positively associated with resilience (p<.01) and social support (p=.001). Religiosity was positively associated with depression (p<.05). RAMS were positively associated with depression (p<.05) and rejection sensitivity (p<.05) but negatively associated with resilience (p<.05) and social support (p<.001).

Conclusions: Findings suggest that GBM with higher levels of spirituality have lower levels of negative mental health outcomes whereas men with higher levels of religiosity and RAMS have poorer mental health outcomes. Interventions aimed at reducing mental health disparities among GBM may benefit from being inclusive of spirituality.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Provision of health care to the public
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate the influence of spirituality and multiple dimensions of religion on the mental health of gay and bisexual men.

Keyword(s): Mental Health, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT)

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: My thesis and dissertation research focused on the influences of religion, spirituality, and exposure to religious antigay messages (RAMS) on mental health, sexual behavior, and drug abuse among gay and bisexual men (GBM). I am currently a NIDA-funded Postdoctoral Fellow whose research investigates the influences of religion, spirituality, and RAMS on resilience, mental health, and HIV risk behaviors among GBM. I have published an article on these topics in the Journal of Religion & Health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.