Abstract
The positive psychological mental health of lesbian and gay people is largely understudied in mainstream theory. Much of the extant literature on lesbian and gay people is fixated on mental illness. Furthermore, not much, if any, explores black lesbian and gay experiences, especially with respect to well-being. Accordingly, this study was conceptualised from a positive psychology perspective, which focuses on mental health, psychological strengths and wellbeing. Little is known about the well-being of black lesbian and gay people in South Africa, although the South African constitution guarantees black lesbian and gay people the right to non-discrimination. Increases in violence among lesbian and gay people suggest that members of gender and sexual minority groups continue to experience stigma and discrimination. There is a lack of research that focuses on the levels of stigma consciousness and perceived discrimination among black lesbian and gay people in South Africa. This is despite increasing evidence suggesting that the stigma consciousness and perceived discrimination are negatively associated with well-being. Nevertheless, coping resources employed by black lesbian and gay people could protect their well-being. Thus, the broad research question guiding this study was: what is the role of coping in the relationship between stigma and the well-being of black lesbian and gay individuals in South Africa? The study had four aims: (1) to assess the relationship between stigma consciousness, perceived discrimination, and well-being among black lesbian and gay individuals; (2) to establish the possible moderating effect of coping in the relationship between stigma consciousness and well-being; (3) to establish the possible moderating effect of coping in the relationship between perceived discrimination and well-being; and (4) to determine the levels of stigma consciousness, perceived discrimination and well-being in this group. In order to achieve these, a quantitative correlation research design was implemented. The participants were 91 individuals identifying as lesbian and gay. They were recruited using snowballing and convenience sampling and completed online questionnaires in order to measure the variables pertaining to the research aims. Descriptive statistics were obtained in order to measure the participants’ levels of well-being, stigma consciousness, and perceived discrimination. A Pearson product-moment correlation was used to examine correlations among well-being, stigma consciousness, perceived discrimination and coping. Finally, a moderation regression was implemented for the purpose...
M.A. (Psychology)