Two sources of autonomy support and depressive symptoms among Chinese gay men: The sequential mediating effect of internalized homonegativity and rumination

•Relationships between two sources of autonomy support (parental/friends autonomy support) and depressive symptoms among Chinese gay men were examined.•Internalized homonegativity and rumination were examined as mediating variables between autonomy support and depressive symptoms.•Both parental autonomy support and friends’ autonomy support were negatively associated with depressive symptoms among Chinese gay men.•Internalized homonegativity and rumination played a sequential mediating role between friends’ autonomy support and depressive symptoms, but they did not mediate the relationship between parental autonomy support and depressive symptoms.