Sexual minority adults appear to be at increased risk for psychiatric morbidity across a wide spectrum of internalizing outcomes, including depression and anxiety disorders (Cochran & Mays, 2000a; 2000b; Cochran, Mays, & Sullivan, 2003; Gilman, Cochran, Mays, Ostrow, & Kessler, 2001; Sandfort, deGraaf, Bijl, & Schnabel, 2001). These disparities emerge early in the life course, with LGB young adults (Fergusson, Horwood, & Beautrais, 1999; Fergusson, Horwood, Ridder, & Beautrais, 2005) and sexual minority youth (D’Augelli, 2002; Fergusson et al., 1999; Fergusson et al., 2005; Hatzenbuehler, McLaughlin, & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2008; Lock & Steiner, 1999; Russell & Joyner, 2001; Safren & Heimberg, 1999) exhibiting elevated symptomatology compared to heterosexuals.
