Although these studies suggested a role for social support as a mediator of the stress-psychopathology association, they relied on cross-sectional data. A recent prospective study with bereaved gay men was able to address this methodological limitation and demonstrated that stigma-related stress (in the form of perceived danger) predicted less social support, which led to increases in depressive and anxious symptoms over 18 months (Hatzenbuehler, Hilt, & Nolen-Hoeksema, in press).
