Self-Compassion, Body Appreciation, Social Support and Hope among LGBTQ Residing in Thailand: A Conceptual Model

Thailand has actively promoted itself as an LGBTQ-friendly destination, more so than many other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, in an effort to boost tourism from the global LGBTQ community. LGBTQ individuals often face unique psychosocial challenges that can impact their psychological well-being. In this study, hope is examined as a positive psychology variable that may help individuals overcome these challenges by fostering a more positive mindset toward life. Drawing from both theoretical and empirical literature, this study explores selected psychological variables relevant to the LGBTQ population in Thailand. Specifically, it investigates how self-compassion influences hope indirectly through body appreciation. In addition, it examines how social support functions as a moderator in the relationship between hope and body appreciation. To test the moderated mediation model, path analysis using multiple regression will be conducted. Data will be collected from a minimum of 150 LGBTQ participants using valid and reliable self-report questionnaires. The findings are expected to contribute to the positive psychology literature on LGBTQ populations and inform psychological interventions aimed at improving their mental health.