Access Type

Open Access Dissertation

Date of Award

January 2024

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Valerie A. Simon

Abstract

Sexual orientation and gender minority groups experience trauma at higher rates than their heterosexual peers (Brown & Pantalone, 2011). Additionally, studies of sexual minority individuals have shown that they experience more severe posttraumatic stress relative to heterosexual counterparts (Roberts et al., 2010). To date, efforts to explain these disparities have centered on: (1) trauma theories concerned with characteristics of the individual or their relation to the perpetrator or (2) the broader repercussions of discrimination, stigmatization, and oppression on sexual minorities. Several LGB scholars have argued that more careful and culturally competent research on the relationships between trauma exposure, LGB identity status, and mental health outcomes is needed to inform theory, prevention, and intervention efforts with trauma-exposed sexual minorities (Brown & Pantalone, 2011). The current study takes a step in that direction by investigating whether tenants of a new theory – cultural betrayal trauma theory (CBTT; see Gómez, 2023) – adds to our understanding of individual differences in traumatic responses among sexual minorities. A central tenet of CBTT is that violence perpetrated by a member of one’s own marginalized minority group constitutes an especially pernicious betrayal that puts members of that oppressed identity at greater risk for posttraumatic difficulties. The current study extends this theory to sexual minority identities to evaluate whether the in-group (i.e., sexual orientation minority) versus out-group (sexual majority) status of the violence perpetrator aids our understanding of individual differences in posttraumatic adaptations among members of sexual minorities. Findings suggest that sexual orientation-based cultural betrayal (CB) trauma is associated with PTSD symptoms and that there is an indirect effect of betrayal unawareness on that relationship. CB trauma was not found to be related to internalized homonegativity. I describe clinical implications and recommendations for victims of CB trauma including pertaining to assessment and resources, intimate partner violence, therapy, and societal awareness. Future research with a larger, more diverse sample, could include LGB community member input to develop mixed methods studies to help validate the CB measure with marginalized sexual orientation groups while collecting data on the many other pillars of CBTT, sexual orientation identity development, visibility, and sexual behavior.

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