The Role of Community Connectedness in Understanding the Connection Between LGBTQ+ Minority Stress and Problem Drinking.

Background: Research has established that LGBTQ+ individuals engage in higher rates of problem drinking than the general population. Very few studies examine the impact of distinct components of minority stress on drinking while also considering the impact of other discrimination-based stressors (e.g., ableism, racism, sexism). We examined the effect of distal (discrimination experiences) and proximal (identity concealment) minority stressors on LGBTQ+ problem drinking, when adjusting for broader discrimination-based stress experiences.

Objectives: We hypothesized that LGBTQ+ community connectedness would moderate the relationship between distal and proximal minority stressors and problem drinking.

Methods: We analyzed data from a sample of 595 LGBTQ+ adults using a combination of Amazon MTurk participants and undergraduate students. We tested hypotheses using linear regression analyses.

Results: After adjusting for broader discrimination-based experiences, LGBTQ+ specific distal and proximal stressors were significantly associated with problem drinking. Community connectedness significantly moderated the relationship between discrimination (a distal factor) and problem drinking, and identity concealment (a proximal factor) and problem drinking. Both interaction effects indicated that problem drinking was highest when both discrimination and community connectedness were high, and when both identity concealment and community connectedness were high.

Conclusions: LGBTQ+ community connectedness may amplify the relationship between specific minority stressors and problem drinking in LGBTQ+ individuals. Further investigation is warranted, particularly expanding the measurement of different experiences with LGBTQ+ community connectedness, and specific mechanisms that may increase drinking to cope. Implications include ensuring LGBTQ+ community connectedness is involved as a treatment target with LGBTQ+ individuals who engage with problem drinking.