RT Journal Article
T1 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
A1 Picone, Nicola
A1 Costa, Pedro Alexandre
A1 Aparicio García, Marta Evelia
A1 Affuso, Gaetana
AB 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.
PB MDPI
SN 1660-4601
YR 2025
FD 2025-06-29
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/123336
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/123336
LA eng
NO Picone, N., Costa, P. A., Aparicio-García, M. E., & Affuso, G. (2025). 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. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(7), 1038. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22071038
DS Docta Complutense
RD 18 dic 2025