Off-campus UMass Amherst users: To download campus access dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your UMass Amherst user name and password.
Non-UMass Amherst users: Please talk to your librarian about requesting this dissertation through interlibrary loan.
Dissertations that have an embargo placed on them will not be available to anyone until the embargo expires.
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9895-2792
Access Type
Open Access Thesis
Document Type
thesis
Degree Program
Public Health
Degree Type
Master of Science (M.S.)
Year Degree Awarded
2020
Month Degree Awarded
May
Abstract
Depression and anxiety are among the most prevalent forms of mental illness in the U.S, affecting an estimated 18% of the population. Recent studies have shown that sexual minority women may undergo sexual experiences that affect their risk of anxiety and depression. However, prior studies of this association are sparse and have largely been conducted among sexual majorities and have yet to examine differences between vulnerable sexual orientation groups. Therefore, we evaluated the relationship between sexual experiences (i.e., sexual assertiveness, sexual self-efficacy, and outness) and anxiety and depression among young sexual minority women in a cross-sectional study (N=328) from the Young Sexual Minority Women’s Experiences with Sexual Violence study, 2017-2018. We used multivariable linear regression models to examine the relationship between sexual experiences and anxiety and depression while adjusting for important risk factors. Overall, findings indicate that sexual minority women who reported low sexual experiences reported more anxiety and depression. Bisexual/pansexual/fluid women had higher sexual assertiveness, sexual self-efficacy, anxiety, and depression scores and lower outness scores compared to lesbian women. Among both lesbian and bisexual/pansexual/fluid individuals, those who had higher sexual assertiveness scores also had lower anxiety scores Interventions aiming to improve mental health of sexual minority women should utilize the promotion of sexual experiences.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7275/17499238
First Advisor
Nicole VanKim
Second Advisor
Elizabeth Bertone-Johnson
Recommended Citation
Engelbrecht, Brie, "Sexual Experiences and Association with Depression and Anxiety Among Sexual Minority Women" (2020). Masters Theses. 910.
https://doi.org/10.7275/17499238
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/masters_theses_2/910