The Influences of Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Social Self-Concept on Depression

Abstract

Given the negative effects of depression for women and sexual minorities, it is critical to identify mediators in the relationships among gender, sexual orientation and depression. Mediators in this relationship may help prescribe areas in which universities may intervene in preventing depression. To test our hypotheses, we administered questionnaires to 964 first-year students at a university on the West Coast of the United States. We found that women and sexual minorities reported greater levels of depression than men and heterosexuals. In addition, we found that social self-concept, individuals’ perceptions regarding their competencies and confidence in social scenarios, mediated the influence of gender on depression for heterosexual individuals, but not for sexual minorities. Social self-concept served as a buffer in preventing depression in women. But it was not sufficient to prevent depression in sexual minorities, who may require different intervention methods, due to the unique challenges experienced by this population such as family rejection, homelessness, stigmatization, minority stress, self-esteem, and marginalization.