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Western Undergraduate Psychology Journal

Article Title

Society’s Negative Impact on the Mental Health of Homosexuals

Abstract

The current paper’s aim is to facilitate the understanding of how cultural norms embodied by society can have incontrovertible effects on the mental health of those who do not conform. Embedded cultural terms of masculinity and femininity remain cognizant in a way which recognizes that these terms are simply created by culture. Internalized homo-negativity studies conclude that internalized homo-negativity is correlated with severe depression on all three clinical scales of depression, overall sexual health, psychosexual maturation, comfort with sexual orientation, peer socialization, comfort with sexual acts and social integration. Narcissistic tendencies in male homosexuals were found to be significantly correlated with homosexuality when considering the Rorschach Reflection scale. Eating disorders were found to be highly correlated with body dissatisfaction, which were more prevalent among homosexuals, where femininity was found to not significantly contribute to body dissatisfaction. Furthermore body dissatisfaction among heterosexuals and homosexuals was found to be related to high body mass index, high pressure from society and peers, low masculinity and from perceived societal and peer pressure due to sexual orientation. Studies investigating suicide attempt prevalence among homosexuals in the United States concluded that those who attempted suicide felt more victimized by peers and society, physically and verbally, and acknowledged more mental health problems. In conclusion, the significance of this paper is to contribute to the understanding, and by extension reconstruction of oppressive attitudes and behaviours towards homosexuals.

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