Minority stressors, social connectedness and degree of outness in gay men: Data from two cross-sectional correlational studies in the United Kingdom

Lesbian, gay and bisexual people vary in their level of outness, that is, the number of people to whom they disclose their sexual orientation and the amount of information that they disclose. Outness is generally associated with positive long-term social, psychological and health outcomes. Gay men may face particular challenges in coming out due to higher levels of gay-related stigma. Hierarchical multiple regression models examined associations between minority stressors, aspects of social connectedness, and degree of outness in two samples of gay men in the United Kingdom. Study 1, based on data from 96 gay men, showed that only the proximal stressor of internalized homonegativity was significantly and negatively associated with degree of outness. Study 2, based on data from 246 gay men, showed that being partnered, general social support, and discrimination were significantly and positively associated with degree of outness and that internalized homonegativity and perceiving negative social attitudes toward gay men were negatively associated with degree of outness. The results suggest that psychological interventions should focus on facilitating access to social support and on managing proximal minority stressors.