Minority Stress and Mental Health: The Role of Self-Compassion

This study examines the role of minority stress and self- -compassion in the mental health of LGBTQ+ individuals within Croatian society. Building on the minority stress theory, the aim was to explore whether differences in mental health and well-being between LGBTQ+ and cisgender heterosexual individuals can be explained by minority stress exposure, and to what extent self-compassion serves as a protective factor. The results of an analysis conducted on a convenient sample of 358 participants (61% LGBTQ+) showed that LGBTQ+ people experience higher levels of minority stress, lower life satisfaction, and more frequent symptoms of depression compared to cisgender heterosexual people. A serial mediation model indicated that minority stress fully mediated the relationship between sexual orientation and mental well-being, while self-compassion was found to only partially mediate the link between minority stress and mental health. The findings highlight the importance of social context in shaping mental health, which was established in earlier studies.