Internalised homonegativity and depressive symptoms: a meta-analysis

In our meta-analytic study, we aimed to specifically focus on the relationship between IH and depressive symptoms among LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) individuals across studies conducted internationally. The meta-analysis included studies conducted between 2000 and 2022, encompassing data from 13 countries. Studies retrieved from the literature search were screened based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in the inclusion of 95 effect sizes. The results revealed a positive, small-to-medium effect size between IH and depressive symptoms (r = 0.2979, p <.001), with significant heterogeneity among the effect sizes (Q(95) = 638.4979, p <.001). We tested the following moderators: country-level LGBTQ+ acceptance scores, age, and year of data collection. However, the results did not support the moderating effects of these variables. This study contributes to the existing literature by confirming that the strength of the relationship between IH and depressive symptoms remains significant. Further research may explore this relationship in diverse cultural contexts, considering cohort effects and other theoretical factors (e.g. individual resilience, social support, community involvement) that may influence this association.