Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine correlates of dating anxiety in a sample of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth. Demographic variables, sexual minority stress, parental rejection, parental outness, and peer victimization were examined as statistical predictors. It was hypothesized that higher sexual minority stress would be associated with higher dating anxiety. It was further hypothesized that higher parental rejection would be associated with higher dating anxiety and higher parental outness would be associated with lower dating anxiety. Additionally, it was hypothesized that each relational, reputational, overt, and cyber victimization would be positively associated with dating anxiety. Parent and peer variables were also considered as moderators of the proposed relationship between sexual minority stress and dating anxiety. Data were used from a larger study of LGB youth (N = 127). Participants had disclosed their sexual orientation to at least one parent and were 21 years of age on average. Participants completed the Dating Anxiety Scale, the Measure of Gay-Related Stress, the Perceived Parental Reactions Scale, the Peer Experiences Questionnaire, and the Social Networking – Peer Experiences Questionnaire. 46% of the participants also had a parent who agreed to be a part of the study; parents completed the Parental Outness Inventory. As predicted, higher sexual minority stress was associated with higher dating anxiety; additionally, higher parental rejection and relational, reputational, and cyber victimization were each associated with higher dating anxiety. Relational victimization predicted dating anxiety over and above other types of victimization. The relationship between sexual minority stress and dating anxiety was weaker at high levels of cyber victimization. The results of this study highlight the importance of considering risk factors unique to sexual minority individuals, as well as stressors that are universal to youth in general.