Fear of Intimacy as a Mediator of the Internalized Heterosexism-Relationship Quality Link Among Men in Same-Sex Relationships

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between internalized heterosexism (also known as internalized homophobia) and fear of intimacy and relationship quality among 88 men in a same-sex romantic relationship. Findings revealed that internalized heterosexism was positively correlated with fear of intimacy (r = .49) and negatively correlated with relationship quality (r = −.43). In addition, results indicated that fear of intimacy partially mediated the relationship between internalized heterosexism and relationship quality. That is, the data were consistent with the notion that internalized heterosexism leads to more fear of intimacy, which in turn leads to less relationship quality among sexual minority men. Finally, the variables in the model accounted for 28 % of the variance in relationship quality scores. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.