There is growing recognition that group membership and social identities enhance people’s health through psychological resources, constituting a “social cure”. However, the mechanisms by which group identification may unlock the curative powers of social identities are complicated by stigma. Such is the case for sexual minorities (SM). Paradoxically, SM identity can be both a threat (minority stress) to SM’s health and a source of resources to cope with stigma-related stressors. Despite recognizing LGBT+ group identification as a possible coping mechanism, how SM mount self-enhancing structures to buffer the effects of minority stress remains unclear and understudied. The present project aims to address this gap, adopting a social cure perspective. Specifically, the buffering effects of LGBT+ social identity processes on the negative relationship between minority stress and psychological health will be investigated. Two studies, cross-sectional (Study 1), and correlational and longitudinal (Study 2), will be conducted with SM individuals recruited online.

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Social Cure,Social Identity,Minority Stress,Sexual Minorities,Psychological; Health