University of Washington, WA, USA.
Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2012 Oct;82(4):494-504. doi: 10.1111/j.1939-0025.2012.01178.x.
Coping strategies have been shown to significantly influence mental and physical health among heterosexual and medically ill populations. These associations have not been thoroughly examined among sexual minority women, who are known to shoulder a high burden of disease. This study assesses the impact of adaptive and maladaptive coping on mental and physical health among 1,381 lesbian and bisexual women and examines the potential mediating role of maladaptive coping in explaining bisexual women's poorer health relative to lesbians. Participants completed a web-based survey that assessed demographic characteristics, social support, adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies, and mental and physical health. Maladaptive coping strategies, especially behavioral disengagement and self-blame, were significantly associated with mental and physical health. Coping was more strongly predictive of mental health than physical health, and maladaptive coping more strongly predictive of health outcomes than demographics, social support, and adaptive coping. Interactions between social support and coping were generally not significant. Additionally, bisexual women reported more adverse mental and physical health outcomes than lesbians, and maladaptive coping significantly mediated these relationships. Providers working with sexual minority women may wish to pay particular attention to maladaptive coping strategies, countering these with adaptive, empowerment-based interventions.
应对策略已被证明对异性恋和患有疾病的人群的身心健康有重大影响。这些关联在性少数群体女性中尚未得到充分研究，这些女性已知疾病负担沉重。本研究评估了 1381 名女同性恋和双性恋女性中适应性和不适应性应对策略对心理健康和身体健康的影响，并探讨了不适应性应对策略在解释双性恋女性相对于女同性恋者健康状况较差方面的潜在中介作用。参与者完成了一项基于网络的调查，该调查评估了人口统计学特征、社会支持、适应性和不适应性应对策略以及心理健康和身体健康。不适应性应对策略，特别是行为脱离和自责，与心理健康和身体健康显著相关。应对策略对心理健康的预测作用强于身体健康，不适应性应对策略对健康结果的预测作用强于人口统计学、社会支持和适应性应对策略。社会支持和应对之间的相互作用通常不显著。此外，双性恋女性报告的心理健康和身体健康不良后果多于女同性恋者，不适应性应对策略显著中介了这些关系。与性少数群体女性合作的提供者可能希望特别关注不适应性应对策略，并用适应性、赋权为基础的干预措施来对抗这些策略。
