Social Support and Depressive Symptoms Among Men and Women With Same-Sex Experiences in Later Life

Abstract

Abstract Background and Objectives Social support is a vital psychological health resource for well-being in later life. However, research on the associations of social support has largely excluded sexual minorities. This study compares the association between sources of social support and depressive symptoms across groups of older heterosexual and sexual minority men and women. Sexual minority status herein is based on self-reported sexual histories of having same-sex and opposite-sex only experiences (SSE and OSO). Research Design and Methods Based on a pooled cross-sectional dataset drawn from three waves of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), we used OLS regression and moderation tests to evaluate how three sources of social support – partner, family, friend – are related to depressive symptoms for SSE and OSO men and women. Results Results show OSO men and women both had significant negative associations between depressive symptoms and social support regardless of the source. SSE women, in contrast, only have a significant association between high levels of friend support, and SSE men only show significant effects in relation to high levels of partner support. Discussion and Implications These results suggest the effects of social support on psychological health are significantly constrained/circumscribed for sexual minority men and women. Interventions designed to decrease symptoms of depression in older sexual minorities through social support are discussed.