Reciprocal associations between sexual orientation concealment and mental health among LGBQ college students

Abstract

Introduction Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) individuals confront ongoing decisions about whether to reveal their sexual orientation to others. In some situations, LGBQ individuals opt for a strategy of concealment (i.e., an active effort to hide one’s sexual minority identity). A robust body of research has linked concealment to mental health challenges. However, most previous studies have been cross-sectional, limiting their ability to draw conclusions about the directionality of these associations. Method The present study used data collected at two times points four months apart to examine the reciprocal association of concealment with depressive symptoms and life satisfaction in a sample of 91 LGBQ college students. Data were analyzed using cross-lagged panel models. Results Results revealed that depressive symptoms and life satisfaction predicted concealment four months later. Concealment predicted lower levels of later life satisfaction—but not depressive symptoms—four months later. Experiences of heterosexist discrimination did not confound the associations between concealment and mental health. Conclusion Findings highlight the value of longitudinal study designs for research on LGBQ identity and have implications for the theory of identity management. In particular, general mental health variables may have a greater impact on the LGBQ identity management process than previously thought.