Jelić, Nina.
(2016).
Sexual orientation concealment and mental health of LGB population: the mediating role of minority identity characteristics.
Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Psychology.
[mentor Huić, Aleksandra].
Abstract
According to number of studies and meta-analysis LGB individuals are more likely to develop mental disorders than heterosexual population. Meyer's Minority stress model attributes the difference to higher levels of stress that sexual minorities experience in social context. LGB individuals often conceal their sexual orientation in order to avoid stress in the environment. Paradoxically, concealment of sexual orientation is an additional stressor and is negatively related to mental health. Concealment is a great cognitive burden, it impairs intimacy development in relationships, and encourages a series of subtle processes that impair mental health. The Monority stress model assumes that the sexual orientation concealment leads to poorer mental health indirectly, through process at the level of the minority identity characteristics. Objective of this research is to examine the relationship between sexual orientation concealment and mental health, as well as the role of minority identity characteristics as a mediator of their relationship. Method: The study was conducted as a part of the larger research project "Review of minority stress model on sexual minorities in Croatia during Summer Psychology School in 2014. Participants were recruited using snowball method. Data was collected on-line. The resulting sample is convenient. The study included 411 lesbian, gay, bisexual men and bisexual women. Results: The effect of sexual orientation concealment on mental health are fully mediated by some dimensions of minority identity. Concealing sexual orientation leads to more acceptance concearns and greater identity uncertainty which lead to more anxiety, depression and stress symptoms. Concealment motivation, difficulties with the identity development process, identity dissatisfaction, identity superiority and identity centrality do not mediate effects of concealment on mental health.
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