Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 9, 2026

Treatment Model for Young Patients with Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction and Resultant Infertility
Published on: May 30, 2025
Elevated psychological pain and related symptoms among sexual minority young adults
Andra M Preda1, Donald J Robinaugh1,2,3, Jin Shin4
1Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Objective:
Sexual minority (SM) young adults experience worse mental health outcomes than heterosexual peers, including increased depression and suicide risk. Psychological pain may play an important role in this relationship.
Participants:
We examined psychological pain among heterosexual and SM college students (N = 1481).
Methods:
We examined sexual minority status, depression, and loneliness as predictors of psychological pain.
Results:
Psychological pain was significantly elevated among SM (n = 185) (M = 27.89, SD = 11.76) versus heterosexual participants (M = 21.55, SD = 9.67), t(219.55) = 6.99, p < .001, g = 0.64. Sexual minority status predicted psychological pain when accounting for depression and loneliness (b = 2.18, SE = 0.58, p < .001).
Conclusions:
Psychological pain was elevated among SM college students. Future research should examine antecedents and consequences of psychological pain among sexual minority young adults to inform effective interventions for suicide prevention in this high-risk population.
Related Concept Videos
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Bullying
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
Primary Motives: Sleep, Sex, and Pain Avoidance
Sleep is a fundamental physiological drive that fosters a state of restfulness crucial for several bodily functions. It facilitates body restoration, the process by which the body repairs, rejuvenates, and maintains itself during sleep, including memory...
Psychological Responses to Stress

