Work

Self-transitioning or other-transitioning? The positive effects of LGBTQ + college students’ positive coping and perceived academic support

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Stigmatisation directed towards LGBTQ + individuals poses a considerable threat to their psychological well-being. LGBTQ + college students frequently report exposure to perceived stress and microaggressions. Research indicates that self-regulation and proactive coping mechanisms can act as a protective buffer against the stigma and bias faced by sexual minorities. Consequently, this study investigated whether and to what extent proactive coping and perceived academic support moderate the relationship between perceived stress specific to LGBTQ + college students, their psychological well-being, and academic performance. METHODS: This study surveyed 359 Chinese LGBTQ + college students with an average age of 20.65 years old through snowball sampling and online recruitment. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. RESULTS: Employing structural equation modelling analysis, the study revealed that (a) proactive coping moderated the relationship between perceived stress and psychological well-being, and (b) perceived academic support moderated the relationship between perceived stress and academic performance. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that Chinese colleges should implement adequate support and counselling services to enhance the proactive coping abilities of LGBTQ + students and create an academically supportive environment to alleviate the adverse effects of perceived stress on psychological well-being.

Source: BMC Medical Education

DOI: 10.1186/s12909-025-07204-9

Authors: Chenwei Ma, Jiangyu Li

Institution: Sichuan University

Language: English

Topic: LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities, Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,990