How community and individual strengths "fill our cup": A preliminary strengths-based psychological mediation framework for LGBTQIA+ communities.

Abstract

The psychological mediation framework (PMF) has been used to examine how mechanisms explain the relations between minority stress and mental health disparities among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and agender (LGBTQIA+) communities. Though important in understanding LGBTQIA+ mental health, existing PMF research is deficit-focused and does not include the collective and individual strengths LGBTQIA+ people possess that are associated with well-being. Using a sample of 625 LGBTQIA+ people, the present study proposed a preliminary strengths-based PMF to examine how identity-specific and general strengths help explain the link between LGBTQIA+ community resilience and life satisfaction. Structural equation modeling analyses demonstrated that LGBTQIA+ community resilience was directly associated with life satisfaction, identity-specific strengths (e.g., identity affirmation, identity centrality, authenticity, relationship intimacy), and general strengths processes (e.g., self-compassion, hope, social support). Analyses suggested that higher LGBTQIA+ community resilience was associated with higher identity affirmation, which, in turn, was associated with decreased life satisfaction. LGBTQIA+ community resilience was also associated with life satisfaction through the general strengths processes of hope and social support. Our findings provide a preliminary strengths-based PMF that can be used to expand LGBTQIA+ PMF research. Implications for clinical practice and community-level interventions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).