Coping styles in heterosexual and non-heterosexual students in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study (Estilo de afrontamiento en estudiantes heterosexuales y no heterosexuales en Líbano: un estudio transversal)

The Lebanese population has been exposed to multiple stressors associated with political and economic instability for decades. Using survey data from 203 university students in Beirut, this study focuses on the factors that predict coping styles in men and women and heterosexual and non-heterosexual people in Lebanon. Heterosexual people reported higher religiosity and ethnic identification but lower psychological distress than non-heterosexual people. Women reported higher religiosity but lower identity resilience and engagement in the re-thinking/planning coping style than men. Religiosity was positively associated with identity resilience and ethnic identification but negatively associated with the social engagement coping style. Ethnic identification and identity resilience were positively associated with the social engagement and re-thinking/planning coping styles. Identity resilience and religiosity were negatively associated with psychological distress. The social engagement and re-thinking/planning coping styles were positively correlated. Results suggest that non-heterosexual people may be less likely to adopt adaptive coping styles because of their decreased religiosity and ethnic identification and that men and women have distinct pathways to adaptive coping strategies (through identity resilience and religiosity, respectively).