What Is Hidden Can Still Hurt: Concealable Stigma, Psychological Well-Being, and Social Support Among LGB College Students

Abstract

This study examines the importance of social support and psychological well-being for college students and highlights the unique challenges faced by lesbian, gay, and bisexual students. Interacting with members of similar identity groups is crucial in the development of one’s sense of self and place in the social world. However, these benefits are limited for people with a concealable stigma identity, given the increased difficulty of identifying similar others. The current study examined indicators of social support, psychological health (positive affect), and anxiety among college students between 2015 and 2017. To investigate the role of concealable stigma among these factors, responses from students (N = 33) who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) were compared with responses from heterosexual students (N = 43) who did not consider themselves allies of the LGB community. LGB students reported lower levels of psychological well-being and less social support than their heterosexual peers. The unique difficulties faced by members of concealable stigma groups when needing social support are considered, with the goal of increasing psychological health among college students with a minority sexual orientation.