Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023;20(3):658-679.
doi: 10.1080/19361653.2022.2091078. Epub 2022 Jun 24.

Relations Between Interpersonal Microaggressions, Depressive Symptoms, and Pet Attachment in an LGBTQ+ Emerging Adult Sample

Angela Matijczak  1 , Camie Tomlinson  1 , An Pham  2 , Rosalie Corona  3 , Shelby McDonald  3
Affiliations

Relations Between Interpersonal Microaggressions, Depressive Symptoms, and Pet Attachment in an LGBTQ+ Emerging Adult Sample

Angela Matijczak et al. J LGBT Youth. 2023.

Abstract

Exposure to microaggressions can have detrimental impacts on the mental health of LGBTQ+ emerging adults. Positive social relationships are a well-documented protective factor that help to buffer the impact of adversity on mental health in this population. However, the role of social relationships with pets has received minimal attention in research on LGBTQ+ mental health, despite the high prevalence of pets in U.S. households. This cross-sectional study examined whether the association between interpersonal microaggressions and depressive symptoms among LGBTQ+ emerging adults varied as a function of attachment to pets across three domains: love, emotion regulation, and personal growth. We recruited 163 LGBTQ+ emerging adults (18-21 years) who lived with a cat and/or dog within the past year (98.8% sexual minority, 47.2% gender minority, 37.4% racial/ethnic minority). We found that love and emotion regulation significantly moderated the positive association between interpersonal microaggressions and depressive symptoms. Specifically, this association was only significant when love and emotion regulation were at moderate or high levels. These findings have important implications for practice with LGBTQ+ pet owners, as it suggests that high levels of pet attachment may amplify the relation between interpersonal microaggressions and depressive symptoms.

Keywords: LGBTQ+; depression; mental health; microaggressions; pets.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Conceptual Model
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Conditional Effects of Interpersonal Microaggressions on Depressive Symptoms as a Function of Attachment to Pets (N = 163)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Antonacopoulos NMD, & Pychyl TA (2010). An examination of the potential role of pet ownership, human social support and pet attachment in the psychological health of individuals living alone. Anthrozoös, 23(1), 37–54. 10.2752/175303710X12627079939143 - DOI
    1. Arnett JJ, Žukauskienė R, & Sugimura K (2014). The new life stage of emerging adulthood at ages 18–29 years: Implications for mental health. The Lancet Psychiatry, 1(7), 569–576. 10.1016/S2215-0366(14)00080-7 - DOI - PubMed
    1. ASPCA. (n.d.). Definition of Companion Animal. https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/defi...
    1. Baron RM, & Kenny DA (1986). The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173. 10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Brooks HL, Rushton K, Lovell K, Bee P, Walker L, Grant L, & Rogers A (2018). The power of support from companion animals for people living with mental health problems: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the evidence. BMC psychiatry, 18(1), 1–12. 10.1186/s12888-018-1613-2 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources