Support needed from inside and out: social support and self-compassion as negative determinants of psychiatric symptoms among Polish gays, lesbians, and bisexuals experiencing minority stress

Minority stress among gays/lesbians or bisexuals (LGB) occurs when they experience discrimination and prejudice that leads to distress due to their sexual orientation. Despite the chronic environmental stressors, they may develop psychological skills (e.g., self-compassion) and seek social support to alleviate minority stress outcomes. The current study focused on the determinants of distress among the LGB population in Poland concerning distal (social support) and proximal (self-compassion) protective factors in the minority stress context. 290 individuals participated in the study (152 G/L, 138 B). Self-compassion and support from family were the strongest and most stable negative predictors of distress in both samples, although there were significant differences in subsamples (e.g., the bisexual sample scored significantly higher in all psychiatric symptoms), and bisexual orientation was a significant predictor of low and medium-magnitude stress. The groups did not vary in the minority stress rates, while the network analyses revealed differences in the dynamics between its features, social support, and psychiatric symptoms, pointing at specific aspects of the LG/B minority stress experiences. The results show complex and multifaceted aspects that affect distress among the LGB population, and clinical and research applications are addressed. The specific context of the Polish LGB community is also discussed.