MINORITY STRESSORS AND SUBSTANCE USE SEVERITY AMONG GAY EMERGING ADULT MEN: A PERSON-CENTERED ANALYSIS

This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between sexual minority stress and substance use among gay emerging adult men, a population vulnerable to health risk behaviors. Despite the documented link between minority stress and substance use problems, research on potential heterogeneity within this relationship among young gay men is limited, reflecting shortcomings in available healthcare and substance use treatment for this demographic. The study, conducted on 205 Internet-recruited participants, used cluster analysis to categorize individuals into homogeneous subgroups based on self-reported experiences of recent minority stress and evaluated between-group differences in (a) past-year alcohol risk behaviors, (b) drug use problems, and (c) negative consequences of substance use. The subgroups exhibited substantial variability in each of the five sexual minority stressors tested: degree of disclosure of sexual minority status to others, degree of concealment of sexual minority status to others, felt stigma, internalized sexual stigma, and self-reported experiences of everyday discrimination. The four groups were labeled: (1) High Identity Disclosure, Low Stigma; (2) High Identity Concealment, Low Stigma; (3) Average Identity Disclosure/Concealment, Highest Stigma; (4) Dual Identity, High Stigma. A MANOVA revealed significant between-group differences in substance use involvement, with the Highest Stigma cluster consistently reporting the highest scores for substance use involvement, and the High Identity Concealment group reporting the lowest substance use involvement. This study supports other research that highlights the need for tailored intervention and treatment services that address minority stressors to tackle co-occurring issues of stigma, discrimination, and harmful substance use.