Department of Health Studies, American University, Washington, DC, USA.
Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies (CAAS), Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Subst Use Misuse. 2021;56(1):162-168. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2020.1846197. Epub 2020 Nov 22.
Sexual minorities (e.g. lesbian, gay, bisexual) are at increased risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD) compared to heterosexuals. The minority stress model postulates that disparities in AUD stem, in part, from stress specific to sexual minorities (e.g. heterosexism). However, little research has examined psychophysiological markers of minority stress reactivity and how psychophysiological stress reactivity is associated with lifetime minority stress and alcohol use among sexual minorities. Emotion modulation of the startle response is a well-established paradigm for capturing psychophysiological stress reactivity under controlled laboratory conditions. This preliminary study is the first to use the startle experimental paradigm to examine psychophysiological reactivity to stigma among sexual minorities. Sexual minority participants ( = 20; 55% female), aged 18 to 27 years ( = 21.80, = 2.65), were recruited from the community. We compared startle reactivity in response to three types of stimuli (stigma, negative, and neutral) among heavy drinking sexual minority young adults. Although statistically underpowered, we also explored the associations between startle reactivity and self-reported drinking behaviors and lifetime minority stress. Both stigma and general unpleasant stimuli produced more psychophysiological stress reactivity than neutral stimuli among sexual minorities. Psychophysiological stress reactivity was correlated with greater quantity of drinks reported on drinking days in the past month, but not greater frequency. Additionally, lifetime exposure to minority stress was associated with a blunted reactivity to stigma stimuli. These findings provide methodological advances and important implications for minority stress theory and alcohol use among sexual minorities.
性少数群体（例如女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋）与异性恋者相比，患酒精使用障碍（AUD）的风险增加。少数群体应激模型假设，AUD 方面的差异部分源于性少数群体特有的应激（例如异性恋主义）。然而，很少有研究检查过少数群体应激反应的心理生理学标志物，以及心理生理学应激反应如何与性少数群体的终生少数群体应激和饮酒行为相关。惊吓反应的情绪调节是一种在受控实验室条件下捕捉心理生理学应激反应的成熟范式。本初步研究首次使用惊吓实验范式来检查性少数群体中耻辱感的心理生理学反应。从社区招募了 18 至 27 岁的性少数群体参与者（ = 20；55%为女性），年龄为 21.80 岁，标准差为 2.65 岁。我们比较了重度饮酒的性少数青年对三种类型的刺激（耻辱、负面和中性）的惊吓反应。尽管统计效力不足，但我们还探讨了惊吓反应与自我报告的饮酒行为和终生少数群体应激之间的关联。耻辱和一般不愉快的刺激比中性刺激在性少数群体中产生了更多的心理生理学应激反应。心理生理学应激反应与过去一个月中报告的饮酒日的饮酒量相关，但与饮酒频率无关。此外，终生接触少数群体应激与对耻辱刺激的反应迟钝相关。这些发现为少数群体应激理论和性少数群体的饮酒行为提供了方法学上的进展和重要启示。
