2 - (SYM 51) Universal and Group-specific Predictors of Relationship Quality Among Sexual and Gender Minority Young People

Abstract Body
Cross-sectional research has documented negative associations between sexual and gender minority (SGM) stigma at the individual (e.g., microaggressions) and relationship (e.g., couple-based marginalization) levels with romantic relationship quality. There are also established individual (e.g., depression) and relationship factors (e.g., communication, commitment) that likely predict relationship quality for all couples. Little research has tested relative associations of individual, relationship, and contextual factors on relationship quality over time for SGM people. This limits our understanding of which factors are more strongly associated with their relationship quality, hindering theory and intervention advancement. This study used longitudinal data from SGM young people to address this gap.

Data were drawn from waves 1-7 of a longitudinal cohort study of SGM young people assigned female sex at birth (AFAB). Participants were 260 SGM-AFAB who reported on the same romantic partner for at least three consecutive waves. At baseline, the average age was 22 (SD=4) years old. 19% identified as White, 39% as Black, and 29% as Hispanic/Latinx. 21% identified as gender minority. Participants reported their demographics, relationship quality, individual factors (depression), relationship factors (relationship dedication, destructive communication) and contextual factors (microaggressions, couple marginalization). Multilevel models examined associations of factors with the intercept (i.e., starting value) and slope (i.e., trajectory) of relationship quality over time, controlling for demographics.

Results indicated that couple marginalization (B= -.08) and destructive communication (B= -.47) were negatively associated with the intercept of relationship quality. Dedication was positively associated with the intercept of relationship quality (B=.14). Only destructive communication was significantly associated with the slope of relationship quality (B= -0.07).

Findings indicate that minority stress and relationship factors were significantly associated with poorer relationship quality among young SGM. However, only destructive communication was negatively associated with the trajectory. Theories of SGM romantic relationship functioning should emphasize the central role of universal relationship factors alongside contextual stressors (e.g., couple marginalization), and SGM-focused relationship interventions should incorporate skills to address them (e.g., communication skills).