Factors Affecting Vulnerability to Depression among Gay Men and Lesbian Women in Gauteng, South Africa

In this study we explored factors affecting vulnerability to depression among gay men and lesbian women in metropolitan Gauteng, South Africa. Risk factors consistently cited in the literature on depression among gay men and lesbian women, namely, self-esteem, level of social integration, frequency of the experience of hate speech, frequency of the experience of physical victimisation, fear of victimisation and alcohol and drug abuse, were examined to determine their ability to predict vulnerability to depression. Data were collected from 385 participants who self-identified as lesbian or gay, using a purposive quota sampling technique to promote representation across age, gender, race and socio-economic status lines. Multiple methods of recruitment were used to maximise the sample size obtained. Questionnaires were administered in either face-to-face interviews or distributed in person, by mail or via the internet. Multiple regression analysis indicated that lowered self-esteem and more frequent experiences of hate speech were the only significant predictors of vulnerability to depression. The regression model accounted for 21.7% of the variance in vulnerability to depression scores.