TY - JOUR
T1 - Identity processes and psychological wellbeing upon recall of a significant ‘coming out’ experience in lesbian, gay and bisexual people
AU - Lopes, Barbara
AU - Jaspal, Rusi
PY - 2022/8/30
Y1 - 2022/8/30
N2 - This study focuses on the relations between minority stressors, protective factors and psychological wellbeing among lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people. Experimental data based on a sample of 156 showed that participants asked to recall a negative coming out experience to somebody significant reported more identity threat and distress and less positive affect compared to those recalling a neutral coming out experience. In the negative recall condition, the effects of the stressors of discrimination and rejection on the variance of distress through the mediation of identity threat were statistically significant but not in the neutral recall condition and the two conditions statistically significantly differed in regards to the relationship between discrimination and distress. Identity resilience – continuity was associated with less identity threat and distress in the negative recall condition only, while social support was negatively associated and LGB stigma sensitivity was positively associated with distress in both conditions. Degree of outness (operating as a coping strategy) was associated with increased positive affect in both the neutral and negative recall conditions. When recalling a negative coming out experience, LGB people may be more susceptible to distress associated with minority stressors but also capitalize on available coping strategies.
AB - This study focuses on the relations between minority stressors, protective factors and psychological wellbeing among lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people. Experimental data based on a sample of 156 showed that participants asked to recall a negative coming out experience to somebody significant reported more identity threat and distress and less positive affect compared to those recalling a neutral coming out experience. In the negative recall condition, the effects of the stressors of discrimination and rejection on the variance of distress through the mediation of identity threat were statistically significant but not in the neutral recall condition and the two conditions statistically significantly differed in regards to the relationship between discrimination and distress. Identity resilience – continuity was associated with less identity threat and distress in the negative recall condition only, while social support was negatively associated and LGB stigma sensitivity was positively associated with distress in both conditions. Degree of outness (operating as a coping strategy) was associated with increased positive affect in both the neutral and negative recall conditions. When recalling a negative coming out experience, LGB people may be more susceptible to distress associated with minority stressors but also capitalize on available coping strategies.
KW - Minority stressors
KW - Lesbian
KW - Gay and bisexual people
KW - coming out
KW - coping
KW - Identity Process Theory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85136089083&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00918369.2022.2111536
DO - 10.1080/00918369.2022.2111536
M3 - Article
SN - 0091-8369
JO - Journal of Homosexuality
JF - Journal of Homosexuality
ER -