Department of Psychology, Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY), New York, New York, USA.
Health Psychology and Clinical Science Doctoral Program, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), New York, New York, USA.
Subst Use Misuse. 2020;55(12):2055-2063. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2020.1790007. Epub 2020 Jul 12.
The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of psychological distress on the associations between two forms of harassment, military sexual trauma (MST) and sexual orientation-based discrimination (SOBD), and alcohol use in a sample of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) military personnel. Data were analyzed from 254 LGB military service members in the United States. Bivariate associations were examined between MST, SOBD, anxiety and depression, distress in response to stressful military events, and alcohol use. A latent psychological distress factor was estimated using anxiety and depression, and distress in response to stressful military events. Path analyses were used to estimate the direct effects of MST and SOBD on alcohol use and the indirect effects of MST and SOBD on alcohol use through psychological distress. All bivariate associations were positive and significant between MST, SOBD, anxiety and depression, distress in response to military events, and alcohol use. In multivariable analyses, after adjusting for demographic covariates, a significant indirect effect was observed for SOBD on alcohol use through psychological distress. MST was not directly or indirectly associated with alcohol use when SOBD was included in the path model. Overall, findings suggest SOBD is associated with poorer mental health, which in turn places LGB military personnel at greater risk of alcohol use and associated problems. These results affirm the need for interventions that reduce SOBD in the military and suggest that these interventions will have a positive impact on the health of LGB military personnel.
本研究旨在探讨心理困扰在两种形式的骚扰（军事性创伤和基于性取向的歧视）与酒精使用之间的中介作用，这些骚扰与美国的女同性恋、男同性恋和双性恋（LGB）军人样本有关。 对美国 254 名 LGB 军人服务成员进行了数据分析。 研究考察了 MST、SOBD、焦虑和抑郁、对军事应激事件的困扰与酒精使用之间的双变量关联。 使用焦虑和抑郁以及对军事应激事件的困扰来估计潜在的心理困扰因素。 使用路径分析来估计 MST 和 SOBD 对酒精使用的直接影响，以及 MST 和 SOBD 通过心理困扰对酒精使用的间接影响。 MST、SOBD、焦虑和抑郁、对军事事件的困扰与酒精使用之间存在正相关且显著的关系。 在多变量分析中，在调整了人口统计学协变量后，SOBD 通过心理困扰对酒精使用的间接影响具有统计学意义。 当路径模型中包含 SOBD 时，MST 与酒精使用既没有直接关系，也没有间接关系。 总的来说，研究结果表明，SOBD 与较差的心理健康有关，而这反过来又使 LGB 军人更有可能饮酒和出现相关问题。 这些结果肯定了在军队中减少 SOBD 的干预措施的必要性，并表明这些干预措施将对 LGB 军人的健康产生积极影响。
