Social Safety and Active Self-Compassion Matter: Temporal Interplay Between Momentary Identity-Salient Experiences, Self-Compassion, and Affective-Somatic Well-Being Among Sexual and Gender Diverse People

Abstract Despite growing research on resilience among sexual and gender diverse (SGD) individuals, significant gaps remain in understanding how health conducive experiences unfold over time amid cisheterosexism. Prior research has largely focused on concurrent associations between minority stressors and health outcomes when intraindividual variations are considered. Moreover, self-compassion—an adaptive mechanism showing promise in SGD health research—has been primarily studied as a trait-like construct rather than examining its dynamic, state-like fluctuations in concordance with identity-salient experiences (ISEs) as they unfold. To address these gaps, this intensive longitudinal study examined temporal relationships between momentary ISEs, self-compassion, and affective-somatic well-being among 141 SGD adults in Hong Kong (Mage = 28.32, SD = 7.09). Using experience sampling with three assessments daily over two weeks and dynamic structural equation modeling, the study tested two interrelated frameworks: Social safety (identity-affirming experiences promote self-compassion and subsequently well-being) and active self-compassion (self-compassion improves well-being and subsequently invite identity-affirming experiences). Results from two distinct models largely supported the perspectives. In the first model, affirming (but not invalidating) ISE predicted higher compassionate self-responding, which subsequently contributed to improved positive affect, reduced negative affect, and no change in somatic distress. In the second model, compassionate self-responding predicted higher likelihood of subsequent affirming (but not invalidating) ISE via improved positive affect and reduced negative affect, while accounting for uncompassionate self-responding. These findings suggest how momentary experiences of social safety and self-compassion may create mutually reinforcing cycles that can inform treatment approaches and community programs to promote SGD health.