Stigma is a multi-facetted construct that permeates the daily lives of sexual minorities including perceptions of self and social interactions. While research findings are ubiquitous on the negative mental health outcomes of living with a stigmatized identity (Link & Phelan, 2001), little is known about how perceived stigma may influence relationship satisfaction among sexual minorities. The present study investigated the relationship between perceived stigma and relationship satisfaction and whether psychological distress served as a mediating mechanism. Furthermore, a unique aspect of this study is its examination of multiple domains of stigma. Results indicated that sexual minorities experienced more perceived discrimination, public stigma, and self-stigma than heterosexuals as well as were less out about their sexuality. Main results did not support psychological distress as mediator but did reveal that self-stigma was significantly related to decreased relationship satisfaction among sexual minorities. Future research should focus on further elucidating the relationship between self-stigma and relationship satisfaction.
","abstract_html":"<p>Stigma is a multi-facetted construct that permeates the daily lives of sexual minorities including perceptions of self and social interactions. While research findings are ubiquitous on the negative mental health outcomes of living with a stigmatized identity (Link & Phelan, 2001), little is known about how perceived stigma may influence relationship satisfaction among sexual minorities. The present study investigated the relationship between perceived stigma and relationship satisfaction and whether psychological distress served as a mediating mechanism. Furthermore, a unique aspect of this study is its examination of multiple domains of stigma. Results indicated that sexual minorities experienced more perceived discrimination, public stigma, and self-stigma than heterosexuals as well as were less out about their sexuality. Main results did not support psychological distress as mediator but did reveal that self-stigma was significantly related to decreased relationship satisfaction among sexual minorities. Future research should focus on further elucidating the relationship between self-stigma and relationship satisfaction.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Taylor, Desta Amber Alyse"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MA (Master of Arts)","degree_level":"Thesis - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-05-05T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-05-05T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:20:31Z","subjects":["Psychological Distress","Relationship Satisfaction","Perceived Stigma","Sexual Minorities","Gender and Sexuality","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Sociology"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1451","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Taylor, Desta Amber Alyse"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2012-05-05T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MA (Master of Arts)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Psychological Distress","Relationship Satisfaction","Perceived Stigma","Sexual Minorities","Gender and Sexuality","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Sociology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2644/viewcontent/TaylorD042412f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1451"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Stigma is a multi-facetted construct that permeates the daily lives of sexual minorities including perceptions of self and social interactions. While research findings are ubiquitous on the negative mental health outcomes of living with a stigmatized identity (Link & Phelan, 2001), little is known about how perceived stigma may influence relationship satisfaction among sexual minorities. The present study investigated the relationship between perceived stigma and relationship satisfaction and whether psychological distress served as a mediating mechanism. Furthermore, a unique aspect of this study is its examination of multiple domains of stigma. Results indicated that sexual minorities experienced more perceived discrimination, public stigma, and self-stigma than heterosexuals as well as were less out about their sexuality. Main results did not support psychological distress as mediator but did reveal that self-stigma was significantly related to decreased relationship satisfaction among sexual minorities. Future research should focus on further elucidating the relationship between self-stigma and relationship satisfaction.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Psychological Distress as Mediator Between Perceived Stigma and Relationship Satisfaction Among Sexual Minorities"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Taylor, Desta Amber Alyse"],"dc:date.issued":["2012-05-05T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Stigma is a multi-facetted construct that permeates the daily lives of sexual minorities including perceptions of self and social interactions. While research findings are ubiquitous on the negative mental health outcomes of living with a stigmatized identity (Link & Phelan, 2001), little is known about how perceived stigma may influence relationship satisfaction among sexual minorities. The present study investigated the relationship between perceived stigma and relationship satisfaction and whether psychological distress served as a mediating mechanism. Furthermore, a unique aspect of this study is its examination of multiple domains of stigma. Results indicated that sexual minorities experienced more perceived discrimination, public stigma, and self-stigma than heterosexuals as well as were less out about their sexuality. Main results did not support psychological distress as mediator but did reveal that self-stigma was significantly related to decreased relationship satisfaction among sexual minorities. Future research should focus on further elucidating the relationship between self-stigma and relationship satisfaction.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2644/viewcontent/TaylorD042412f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1451"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["Psychological Distress","Relationship Satisfaction","Perceived Stigma","Sexual Minorities","Gender and Sexuality","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Sociology"],"dc:title":["Psychological Distress as Mediator Between Perceived Stigma and Relationship Satisfaction Among Sexual Minorities"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - unrestricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["MA (Master of Arts)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:20:31Z"}