Minority Stress and Mental Health: The Role of Self-Compassion

Abstract

This study examines the role of minority stress and self-
-compassion in the mental health of LGBTQ+ individuals
within Croatian society. Building on the minority stress theory,
the aim was to explore whether differences in mental health
and well-being between LGBTQ+ and cisgender
heterosexual individuals can be explained by minority stress
exposure, and to what extent self-compassion serves as a
protective factor. The results of an analysis conducted on a
convenient sample of 358 participants (61% LGBTQ+)
showed that LGBTQ+ people experience higher levels of
minority stress, lower life satisfaction, and more frequent
symptoms of depression compared to cisgender heterosexual
people. A serial mediation model indicated that minority
stress fully mediated the relationship between sexual
orientation and mental well-being, while self-compassion
was found to only partially mediate the link between minority
stress and mental health. The findings highlight the
importance of social context in shaping mental health, which
was established in earlier studies.