Another distal stressor is experiences with discrimination based on sexual minority status. Several within-group studies have shown that perceived discrimination is predictive of multiple forms of mental health problems in LGB individuals, including psychological distress (Hatzenbuehler, Nolen-Hoeksema, & Erickson, 2008), anxiety (Herek, Gillis, & Cogan, 1999), and substance use disorders (McKirnan & Peterson, 1988; 1989). Between-group studies have also demonstrated greater discrimination among sexual minorities relative to heterosexuals. For instance, analyses of population-level data have shown that gay men earn 10–32% less than similarly qualified heterosexual men with the same job (Badgett, Lau, Sears, & Ho, 2007). Importantly, research with probability samples has documented increased exposure to discrimination experiences among LGB individuals relative to heterosexuals; when discrimination was statistically controlled, the association between sexual orientation and psychopathological outcomes was significantly attenuated (Mays & Cochran, 2001).
