1 - (SYM 128) the Association Between Intra sexual Minority Stress and Psychological Distress in White and BIPOC Sexual Minority Men

People of color and sexual minority (SM) individuals disproportionately experience negative mental health outcomes compared to their peers. Intra SM stress theory posits that due to their identity, SM men experience unique status-based stressors from within their community. It is likely that racial discrimination from within the SM community may increase rates of intra SM stress for men of color. The current study explored the degree of intra SM stress across race/ethnicity and if the association between intra SM stress and psychological distress varied between SM men of color and their white peers. SM men (n= 313, 47.3% non-Hispanic White, 24.6% non-Hispanic Black, 28.1% Hispanic) reported on demographics, intra SM stress, and psychological distress in an online survey. An independent samples t-test was used to assess differences between SM men of color and their white peers in intra SM stress and psychological distress. Linear regression was used to examine the association between intra SM stress and psychological distress and the potential moderating effect of race/ethnicity. SM men of color reported significantly higher levels of intra SM stress (Cohen’s d= .36, 95% CI [0.14-0.59]), however, there was no significant difference in the degree of psychological distress by race/ethnicity. While intra SM stress and psychological distress were positively associated, r(308)= .19, p < .001, the interaction effect of intra SM stress with race/ethnicity on psychological distress was not. Discrimination as a result of being a SM man of color may increase the intraminority stress experienced within the SM community. While these stress experiences were significantly associated with psychological distress, this association did not vary by race/ethnicity. Therefore, it may be that SM men of color experience more intra SM stress, but compared to their white counterparts, it does not differentially affect their degree of psychological distress. Culturally sensitive community-specific interventions aimed at reducing intra SM stress may have potential to reduce psychological distress across intersectional male SM populations.