The moderating role of sexual identity centrality in the association between gay community stress and social anxiety among sexual minority men

Gay community stress has been linked to social anxiety among sexual minority men; however, the moderating role of identity-related processes (e.g., sexual identity centrality) has yet to be examined in this association. The present study investigated the association between gay community stress and two measures of social anxiety (i.e., self-reported social anxiety symptoms and interviewer-based diagnostic assessment of social anxiety disorder), as well as the moderating role of sexual identity centrality. Data come from the baseline assessment of a randomized controlled trial testing an LGBTQ-affirmative cognitive behavioral therapy intervention with 251 sexual minority men between the ages of 18-35. Results showed that gay community stress was significantly associated with social anxiety symptoms and social anxiety disorder diagnosis. Sexual identity centrality moderated these associations, such that the link between gay community stress and both social anxiety assessments was stronger among participants with higher levels of sexual identity centrality. These significant findings remained even after accounting for sexual orientation-based discrimination and general life stress. Future research can investigate how the interaction between gay community stress, sexual identity centrality, and social anxiety develops over time to inform interventions aimed at mitigating social distress among sexual minority men.