Predictors of Happiness among LGBQ College Students

Danny El Hassan

Experiencing happiness is considered one of the most desirable goals in Western society. Compared with other populations, lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals may be challenged with increased obstacles to achieving happiness. According to minority stress theory, sexual minority people are at an increased risk of experiencing stress and poor mental health related to their stigmatization. However, certain characteristics have been found to buffer against the negative effects of minority stress. The purpose of the study was to assess whether social support and mastery might buffer against the negative effects of minority stress and lead to happiness in a sample of LGBQ college students. Additionally, the study aimed to assess whether perfectionism would be inversely related to happiness for this population. Participants were recruited during the fall of 2010 through the LGB listserv at two private universities located in New York City, and consisted of 51 LGBQ students aged between 18 and 21. On average, gay men scored highest on happiness and perfectionism, bisexual individuals scored highest on mastery, and individuals who identified as “other” scored highest on social support. A multiple regression revealed that the only variable significantly associated with happiness was mastery (b= .49, B=.36, p<.01), which only partially supports the hypothesis. Given these findings, future research should replicate the study with a larger sample and also investigate interventions to increase mastery among LGBQ college students.