Table 1.

Support for Elevated General Psychological Processes in LGB Populations Relative to Heterosexuals

Internalizing Psychopathology
Citation	Design/Sample	Predictor	Support?
Hatzenbuehler, McLaughlin, & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2008	Longitudinal; 29 LGB and 1235 heterosexual adolescents (grades 6–8); representative, community-based sample	Emotion dysregulation (rumination and emotional awareness)	Yes. LGB had higher rumination and poorer emotional awareness.
Eisenberg & Resnick, 2006	Cross-sectional; 2,255 sexual minority and 19672 heterosexual adolescents; representative sample of Minnesota youth	Family connectedness, teacher & adult caring, school safety	Yes. LGB had lower levels of all forms of support.
Matthews et al., 2002	Cross-sectional; 583 lesbians and bisexuals and 270 heterosexual women; community-based sample from 3 urban cities	Coping (e.g., suppression, distraction)	Yes. Higher suppression and lower distraction among lesbians.
Plöderl & Fartacek, 2005	Cross-sectional; 358 LGB and 267 matched heterosexual comparison; convenience sample	Hopelessness, self-esteem, social support	Yes. LGB were more hopeless, had lower self-esteem and lower support
Russell & Joyner, 2001	Cross-sectional; 867 sexual minority and 11,073 heterosexual youth (grades 7–12); nationally representative survey (Add Health Study)	Hopelessness	Partial. Mean levels of hopelessness were higher in girls with same-sex attractions, but not boys.
Safren & Heimberg, 1999	Cross-sectional; 56 LGB and 48 heterosexual youth; convenience sample	Social support, hopelessness	Yes. LGB had greater hopelessness and less social support.
Wichstrom & Hegna, 2003	Longitudinal; 190 sexual minority and 2,734 heterosexual adolescents; nationally representative study	Global self-worth, low social support	Yes. Sexual orientation was associated with low self-worth and low social support
Substance Use
Citation	Design/Sample	Predictor	Support?
Austin et al., 2004	Cross-sectional; 511 LGB and 9296 heterosexual adolescents; community-based population of adolescents living throughout U.S.	Social norms	Yes. More permissive social norms among lesbian/bisexual girls.
Hatzenbuehler, Corbin, & Fromme, 2008a	Longitudinal; 111 LGB and 2109 heterosexual young adults; representative, community-based sample	Social norms, positive alcohol expectancies	Yes. More permissive norms and greater alcohol expectancies among LGBs.
Trocki, Drabble, & Midanik, 2005	Cross-sectional; 324 sexual minority men and women; national probability survey	Social norms (time spent in bars and parties)	Yes. Both sexual minority men and women spend more time in bars.
Ziyadeh et al., 2007	Cross-sectional; 100 LGB adolescents; 9,631 heterosexual; nationally representative study	Self-esteem, positive alcohol expectancies	Yes. LGB had lower self-esteem and greater positive alcohol expectancies.