Preditores psicossociais e sociodemográficos da autoestima em homens que fazem sexo com homens: Um estudo transversal em Porto Alegre, Brasil

Kátia Bones Rocha; Cristiano Hamann; Adolfo Pizzinato

doi:10.31211/rpics.2026.12.1.376

Authors

Kátia Bones Rocha Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Pós-Graduação em Psicologia, Porto Alegre, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7603-1709
Cristiano Hamann Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Pós-Graduação em Psicologia, Porto Alegre, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1947-6936
Adolfo Pizzinato Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Pós-Graduação em Psicologia, Porto Alegre, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1777-5860

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31211/rpics.2026.12.1.376

Keywords:

Family Relations, Mental Health, Self-Esteem, Sexual and Gender Minorities, Social Support

Abstract

Background and Objective: The present cross-sectional study aimed to examine the association between self-esteem and psychosocial indicators — mental health, perceived social support, and family climate — among men who have sex with men (MSM). Method: A total of 246 adult men (M_age = 27.78; SD = 8.23; range: 18–60 years) were recruited by convenience sampling at a Counseling and Testing Center in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in the context of rapid testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Participants completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS), and the Family Climate Inventory (FCI). Descriptive analyses, Spearman correlations, and multiple linear regression were conducted. Results: The regression model accounted for 50.3% of the variance in self-esteem. Higher GHQ-12 scores, indicative of poorer mental health, were associated with lower self-esteem (β = −.58, p < .001), whereas higher emotional social support (β = .20, p < .001), older age (β = .13, p = .018), and higher educational attainment (β = .13, p = .018) were associated with higher self-esteem. Conclusions: Findings underscore the relevance of mental health and emotional social support as psychosocial resources associated with self-esteem among MSM and support the development of psychosocial interventions that strengthen affective and emotional support networks, with particular attention to younger men.

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