Seasonal variations of gonadotropins and prolactin in the laboratory rat. Role of maternal pineal gland.

Sexual and gender minority individuals experience higher rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) than heterosexual individuals. Yet, the general ACE framework ignores unique ACEs faced by SGM individuals (i.e., cisheterosexism during childhood). The Sexual and Gender Minority ACE (SGM-ACE; Schnarrs et al., 2022, 2023) framework fills this gap by accounting for ACEs that are unique for SGM individuals resulting from systems of oppression (i.e., cisheterosexism during childhood). However, past studies employing this framework were conducted in the U.S. context, limiting the understanding of the prevalence of SGM-ACEs and their associations with psychological outcomes in other contexts such as Hong Kong where LGBTQ+ policies and laws are still progressing. Furthermore, prior research has rarely explored how SGM-ACEs adversely affect psychological outcomes through impeding capacities for compassion of SGM individuals. Therefore, utilizing data from 736 SGM individuals in Hong Kong, this study addressed these important gaps by exploring the prevalence of SGM-ACEs and examined the association between SGM-ACEs and psychological distress among Hong Kong SGM individuals. Moreover, self-compassion and fear of receiving compassion from others were tested as mediators of the effects of SGM-ACEs on psychological distress. Results show that a large proportion of SGM individuals in Hong Kong have experienced SGM-ACEs (89.3%) and these traumatic childhood experiences were significantly linked to higher psychological distress in adulthood. Both self-compassion and fear of compassion from others significantly mediated this relationship. This study demonstrates the significance of considering ACEs specifically related to SGM identities. Findings offer critical insights into practice, clinical treatment, psychoeducation, and policies.