Live Poster Session: Zoom Link
Alayna D’Amico
Alayna D’Amico is a senior at Wesleyan University, graduating with a degree in Psychology and the Science in Society Program and a minor in Education Studies this spring. Following commencement, she will begin her career as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital, working in the psychiatry department to help assess and intervene in early-age anxiety disorders. She is excited to continue applying her knowledge of R cultivated in QAC201 in this new position.
Abstract: Regarded as a national health crisis, mental illness poses a specific risk to marginalized communities in America. Extant literature demonstrates a relationship between sexual orientation and mental health; individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) are more likely to be diagnosed with a number of mental disorders. This study aimed to 1.) provide further evidence for the association between sexual orientation and mental illness, and 2.) determine whether this relationship is moderated by an individual’s perceived social support. Analyses revealed that sexual orientation is significantly associated with mental illness diagnosis, such that LGB-identifying individuals were more likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness than heterosexual individuals. However, there is no statistically significant evidence to suggest that perceived social support moderates the relationship between sexual orientation and mental illness diagnosis.
Poster-Presentation.pptx-2