PREDICTIVE FACTORS OF LONELINESS AMONG LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER (LGBT) POPULATION IN THAILAND
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Abstract
Objective: To examine loneliness levels and its predictors among Thai LGBT populations.
Methods: This cross-sectional research study was conducted in collaboration with the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand. Data collection was completed using online and in-person surveys. Convenience and snowball samplings were applied for study recruitment. This study selected, translated, and applied standardized measures related to the study framework, guided by the Minority Stress Model. These measures include measures of sociodemographic factors, health risk behaviors, minority-specific stressors, and loneliness inventory. T-test, ANOVA, Pearson Correlation and Multiple Regression were used for data analysis.
Results: There were 410 subjects with an average age of 29.5 years (SD = 7.4, range 18–53). The majority of participants reported being male (90.5%), homosexual (79.3%), and cisgender (76.6%). Almost half of LGBT participants (42.2%) (mean = 1.93, SD = .56) reported moderate to high levels of loneliness. The outcomes of bivariate analyses on loneliness were mixed. Significant correlations of loneliness included the experience of discrimination (ß = .03 p < .01), victimization (ß = .14, p < .05), concealment (ß = -.06, p < .001), and internalized homophobia (ß = .06, p < .05). In multivariate logistic regression, the combined influences of the minority-specific stress variables explained of the variance in loneliness scores (F[12.081] = 20.48, p < .001).
Conclusion: The prevalence of loneliness was common among Thai LGBT individuals. Influencing factors associated with loneliness were related to minority-specific stressors. Study findings have implications for psychiatric nursing practice and the development of intervention research.
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บทความที่ได้รับการตีพิมพ์แล้ว เป็นลิขสิทธิ์ของสมาคมพยาบาลจิตเวชแห่งประเทศไทย
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