How does masculinity play a protective role for Chinese gay men? The mediation effect of mindfulness between gender roles and mental distress
Haoqian Li, Yiwen Helen Li, Yimeng Zeng
May 11, 2023 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/2nwq8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey (online questionnaire) |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 210 |
| Population | Chinese gay men |
| Measures | Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The authors report that masculinity was associated with lower mental distress among Chinese gay men, and that mindfulness negatively mediated this relationship, while no mediation was found for femininity. Among mindfulness facets, acting with awareness and describing showed negative mediation, whereas non-reactivity showed a positive mediation effect. They argue mindfulness should be examined facet by facet and that mindfulness training may improve quality of life for undifferentiated and feminine gay men. |
Abstract
Around the world, gay population suffer numerous mental distress problem, especially for those live under a conservative culture, like China. To deal with it, searching for protective factors and interventions to improve gay population’s mental health have become increasingly urgent. Masculinity, as a vital aspect of gay men’s gender roles, is observed to be a protective factor for certain population, yet haven’t been certified among gay population. Furthermore, potential mechanism of how masculinity subserve as a protective factor for gay population could distinct from those for normal population and leverage differential mediator loops. Notably, mindfulness, as an individual level variable which can be improved by certain practice or intervention, can mediate the relationship between masculinity and mental distress in both certain and gay population. Whether mindfulness could subserve a substantial mediator for masculinity in gay population to influence their mental distress remain unclear due to lacking of both theory and empirical evidence. To tackle these challenges, in current research we recruited 210 Chinese gay men who finished an online questionnaire containing demographic information and scales of FFMQ, BSRI and DASS-21. The present paper found that the protective role of masculinity can be observed among Chinese gay men, and mindfulness negatively mediated that relationship between masculinity and mental distress, however such mediation effect can’t be observed between femininity and mental distress. As for the sub-dimensions of mindfulness, acting with awareness and describing had negative mediation effects while non-reactivity had a positive mediation effect between masculinity and mental distress. Overall, current research suggests that it’s important and necessary to separate mindfulness into different sub-facets to investigate their mediation effects, besides, more attention should be focused on undifferentiated and feminine gay men, and mindfulness training could be an effective way to improve their life quality.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cites 4
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- The effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on risk and protective factors of depressive relapse – a randomized wait-list controlled trial BMC Psychology June 7, 2020
- A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction to manage affective symptoms and improve quality of life in gay men living with HIV. Journal of Behavioral Medicine June 2012
- An outpatient program in behavioral medicine for chronic pain patients based on the practice of mindfulness meditation: theoretical considerations and preliminary results. General Hospital Psychiatry April 1, 1982