Internalized heterosexism, hope, and depressive symptoms among gay and bisexual men

Sexual minority men (SMM), and bisexual men in particular, show elevated risks of depressive symptoms relative to heterosexual men. A breadth of research shows that internalized heterosexism, a primary minority stressor, partially explains the disproportionately high levels of depressive symptoms among SMM. However, it is less clear which factors buffer this relationship. The present study investigated whether hope and its subfactors, agency and pathways, moderated the relationship between internalized heterosexism and depressive symptoms, and whether this was contingent on sexual orientation (gay versus bisexual). An international sample of 412 mostly cisgender gay (59.7%) and bisexual men (40.3%) aged 18–81 years (M = 37.32 years, SD = 14.26) completed the Revised Internalized Homophobia Scale, the Adult Dispositional Hope Scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Results indicated that internalized heterosexism, hope, agency, and pathways were independently associated with depressive symptoms. Hope, agency, and pathways did not moderate the internalized heterosexism-depressive symptoms relationship, nor were these moderation relationships conditional on sexual orientation. Findings substantiate previous research suggesting that internalized heterosexism is a risk factor for depressive symptoms and hope, agency, and pathways are protective factors. Clinicians working with SMM should consider integrating strategies to mitigate internalized heterosexism and cultivate hope, and scholars should aim to expand research focused on the role of hope in influencing SMM’s mental health outcomes.