The relationship between adult attachment, perceived discrimination based on sexual orientation, and depression in lesbian students, and the mediating effect of perceived discrimination

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between adult attachment, perceived discrimination based on sexual orientation, and depression in lesbian students, and the mediating effect of perceived discrimination at the University of Limpopo. Seventy- eight (N = 78) participants were conveniently recruited and through referral, participants completed an online questionnaire. The study used a cross-sectional, correlational research design was used within the quantitative research method. Convenience and snow-ball sampling were used as a method to choose/select participants. Bivariate analysis was conducted to investigate the correlation between adult attachment, perceived discrimination, and depression; therefore, the Pearson correlation coefficient was used for this purpose. The results of the study show that anxious attachment is negatively correlated with perceived discrimination, and the relationship is significant (p < .000), avoidance attachment is also negatively correlated with perceived discrimination, and the correlation between them is not significant (p > .281). The results also show that anxious attachment is positively correlated with depression and the correlation is significant (p < .000). The results also shows that avoidance attachment is positively correlated with depression and the relationship is not significant (p > .083). The study found that perceived discrimination based on sexual orientation partially mediated the relationship between adult attachment and depression in lesbian sample. The finding is consistent with existing literature and better explained through the attachment framework. However, it is further recommended that more research should be conducted in other universities and the general population with a broader LGBTIQA+ sample to explore the relationship between the variables. Keywords: Adult attachment, perceived discrimination, depression, lesbians, anxious attachment, avoidance attachment