Collectivisme, Mentale Gezondheid en Non-Heteroseksualiteit

Research shows that non-heterosexuals report more mental health problems than heterosexuals do. This study tests two competing hypotheses regarding this mental health gap and assesses if it is larger or smaller in countries that are more collectivist. A reason to expect this gap to be bigger in collectivist countries is the increased stigma that lies on people that differ from the norm. Collectivist cultures are on the other hand characterized by strong social bonds between people, which is a reason to expect the mental health gap to be smaller in these countries. Using the sixth and seventh round of the European Social Survey (n = 64547, nested in 21 countries) and separate data from Eurostat and Hofstede, multilevel analysis were conducted. The results showed only a slight significant relationship between non-heterosexuality and depression. No relationship was found for subjective wellbeing. The analysis displayed no difference in the mental health gap between non-heterosexuals and heterosexuals in collectivist countries compared to individualistic countries.