Discrimination and childhood trauma each tied to PTSD symptoms in LGBTQ+ adults

A professor at the University of Rhode Island is on a “QueST” to determine how identity-related stress interacts with past traumatic experiences in LGBTQ+ communities. Jillian Scheer, assistant professor of psychology in the College of Health Sciences, is leading the research for Project QueST: Queer Survivors of Trauma.

“This research is helping inform the development of interventions aimed at reducing trauma-related mental health problems and substance use among LGBTQ+ populations, particularly by addressing the impact of discrimination and strengthening social support,” said Scheer.

Data was collected via an online survey from those who identified as sexual and gender minority women, or transgender and/or gender-diverse, were at least 18 years of age, and experienced at least one traumatic event, such as abuse or assault.

The range of identities among survey participants included cisgender women, transgender men, nonbinary individuals, genderqueer individuals, and people who endorsed multiple identity labels. The average age of the 59 respondents was 28.

Participants assigned a numeric value to five variables: how often they experienced discrimination, ability to regulate emotions, perceived social support, their self-efficacy, and their severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms related to traumatic events. Regarding discrimination, participants were asked what identities they believed those experiences were related to, which enabled the researchers to better capture intersectional experiences.

“The responses suggested that discrimination and earlier trauma—especially childhood abuse—both independently contribute to posttraumatic stress symptoms,” said Scheer. “One key finding was that people who reported more discrimination also tended to report lower social support, and lower support was associated with more severe PTSD symptoms. This suggests that discrimination may indirectly affect mental health by eroding support networks or making people feel less supported.”

A description and analysis of the survey was published in a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence in February.

To understand how the experiences described in the survey play out in people’s day-to-day lives, a subset of the survey participants was asked to complete a 14-day daily diary.

More research papers are expected to result from this study. Some of the topics will include daily post-traumatic stress symptoms and negative effects such as experiential avoidance, the influence of community belonging and social support on substance use outcomes, and associations between minority stressors and dissociation in daily life.

Information from Project QueST is also being used to develop a new telehealth intervention in Scheer’s Minority Stress & Trauma Lab called RISE (Recovery through Inhibitory learning, Self-Efficacy building, problem-solving, and community building), which is designed for LGBTQ+ people living in Rhode Island who have experienced trauma and report posttraumatic stress symptoms and hazardous alcohol use.

“RISE combines cognitive behavioral therapy skills—such as goal setting, mindful emotional awareness, cognitive flexibility, and strategies for managing high-risk situations—with a brief expressive writing component that helps participants process traumatic experiences,” said Scheer.

Scheer is hopeful that information gleaned from Project QueST and RISE can be used to make a positive difference in people’s lives.

“For LGBTQ+ individuals, discrimination and other oppression-related experiences can function as chronic stressors that compound the impact of trauma,” said Scheer. “Improving supportive environments and addressing discrimination may therefore play an important role in improving mental health outcomes and reducing hazardous drinking in the population.”