How Does Minority Stress Relate to Sexual Wellbeing? A Scoping Review

Despite the growing attention toward minority stress, there remains a scarcity of studies on its associations with sexual wellbeing. This scoping review aimed to examine the empirical literature from the last five years concerning how minority stress may relate to sexual wellbeing among adults.

Results from the 13 peer-reviewed articles were inconsistent. Internalized negativity (e.g., homophobia) showed varying associations with sexual satisfaction and function. Concealing one’s sexual identity was linked to lower sexual satisfaction and sexual function. Fear of being rejected was associated with worse sexual function. Prejudice-related events were negatively associated with sexual satisfaction and function, and positively with sexual distress. Personal discomfort with one’s non-monogamous engagement did not correlate with sexual satisfaction.

Findings suggest that greater minority stress tends to be related to lower sexual wellbeing, albeit inconsistently. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms involved in these associations.