A Cross-Cultural Study of Social Support from Family, Friends, and Significant Others and Mental Health Among Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese Gay and Lesbian Young Adults

TL;DR

This study compares mental health and social support among gay and lesbian young adults in Italy, Spain, and Portugal, finding that family support is key to reducing depression and anxiety.

Contribution

The study provides cross-cultural insights into how family social support uniquely protects mental health among LGBTQ+ young adults in Southern Europe.

Findings

Italian participants reported lower family and friend support compared to Spanish participants.

Portuguese participants had higher anxiety levels than Italian participants.

Family social support was consistently linked to lower depression and anxiety across all three countries.

Abstract

Gay and lesbian young adults report worse mental health than their heterosexual counterparts due to social stigma. Nonetheless, factors such as social support may protect them against the negative effects of stigma. The current study compares Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese gay and lesbian young adults on three dimensions of social support (family, friends, and significant others) and on mental health indicators (depression and anxiety). It also explores the associations between social support and mental health among the three countries. To this end, a sample of 687 gay and lesbian young adults filled out an online questionnaire: 345 from Italy (Mage = 25.24, SD = 4.39), 193 from Spain (Mage = 27.44, SD = 5.05), and 149 from Portugal (Mage = 24.45, SD = 5.15). Italian participants reported lower levels of social support from family and friends than Spanish participants. Moreover, Portuguese participants reported higher levels of anxiety than Italian participants. The results of the survey further indicate that only social support from family was significantly and negatively associated with depression and anxiety in the three countries. Overall, the findings suggest that the mental health of gay and lesbian young adults can be improved through non-stigmatising cultures as well as family education.

Figures