Mediating effects of emotional symptoms on the association between homophobic bullying victimization and problematic internet/smartphone use among gay and bisexual men in Taiwan

Problematic internet/smartphone use (PI/SU) and homophobic bullying has become a new type of mental health problem among sexual minorities. However, few studies have investigated the mediators of the association between these factors. We aimed to develop a model to estimate the mediating effect of emotional symptoms, including depression and anxiety, on this association among gay and bisexual men in Taiwan. In total, 500 gay or bisexual men in early adulthood were recruited, and their histories of homophobic bullying victimization during childhood and adolescence, current severity of PI/SU, and current emotional symptoms were evaluated using self-administered questionnaires. A mediation model was developed to test the mediating effect of emotional symptoms on the association between homophobic bullying victimization and PI/SU. In total, 190 (38%) and 201 (40.2%) of the participants had experiences of traditional and cyber homophobic bullying victimization, respectively. A higher level of homophobic bullying victimization was significantly associated with a more severe level of PI/SU, and this was mediated by a higher severity of emotional symptoms. There was a significant effect of emotional symptoms on the association between homophobic bullying victimization and PI/SU. Timely interventions for emotional symptoms are necessary for gay and bisexual men, especially for those who are victims of homophobic bullying.