Dataset This repository contains the data and analysis files associated with the article “Sexual stigma, social support, and mental health among sexual minority students in Dutch higher education”, published in the European Journal of Health Psychology.

The dataset includes survey responses from 248 sexual minority students enrolled in Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences. Data were collected in Spring 2025.

The dataset comprises measures of demographic characteristics, mental health, perceived public stigma toward non-heterosexuality at university, internalized sexual stigma, and perceived peer support.

The data are available in multiple formats (.sav, .dat, .csv, .xlsx).

In addition, the repository includes a codebook with variable descriptions Mplus syntax files for the mediation and moderated mediation models, as well as the corresponding Mplus output files.

Background Sexual minority students experience poorer mental health than their heterosexual peers. Based on the minority stress theory, sexual stigma is considered a key risk factor, while the buffering hypothesis suggests that social support may mitigate the negative effects of stigma.

Purpose This study examined whether the relationship between perceived public stigma toward non-heterosexuality at university and mental health is mediated by internalized sexual stigma, and whether perceived social support from peer students moderates this relationship.

Method In a cross-sectional study, 248 sexual minority students enrolled in Dutch higher education completed an online survey. Data were analyzed using correlation and (moderated) mediation analyses.

Results Perceived public stigma and internalized stigma were negatively associated with mental health, while perceived peer support was positively associated with mental health and negatively associated with both forms of stigma. The mediation analysis revealed a significant negative indirect effect of perceived public stigma on mental health through higher internalized stigma. Perceived peer support did not moderate these associations.

Conclusion Among sexual minority students, higher perceived public stigma toward non-heterosexuality at university is associated with poorer mental health, both directly and indirectly through higher internalized sexual stigma. Perceived peer support does not buffer this association, yet it contributes to better mental health. Therefore, universities should address public stigma and foster a supportive learning environment to enhance students’ mental health.

This entry is a thirteen-files data package totaling 930.50 kB when uncompressed, containing files in .csv, .dat, .inp, .ods, .out, .pdf, .sav, .txt and .xlsx formats. If you use this dataset, please cite: Dominiak, K., & Vollmann, M. (2026). Sexual stigma, social support, and mental health among sexual minority students in Dutch higher education (Version V1) [Dataset]. DataverseNL. https://doi.org/10.34894/1SFDWG