An exploratory study of the coming out road drawing: A novel growth promoting intervention for sexual and gender minority individuals

Abstract

Despite the shift in acceptance of sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals in the United States, heterosexism continues to endure, including a recent swathe of legislative attempts to restrict LGBTQ+ rights. The experience of heterosexism, and resultant minority stress, places SGM individuals at greater risk for negative mental health outcomes, demanding a need for culturally responsive therapeutic interventions. The use of Hanes’ (1995) road drawing, modified as a directive to depict one’s coming out story, was examined as such an intervention. We hypothesized that participants would experience a significant increase in positive affect and decrease in negative affect after they created a road drawing of their coming out story. While findings reflected a trend for an increase in positive affect following the art making directive, t(39) = 1.92, p = .062, statistical significance was only found for those who experienced themselves to be “more out,” t(31) = 2.74, p = .01. No significance was observed for negative affect. Findings support the coming out road drawing as a growth promoting intervention. Examples of participant artwork are provided to highlight the narrative and symbolic quality of the coming out road drawing. Application and direction for future research are discussed.