Psychosocial well-being and gay identity development

Since 1973, mental health professionals have rejected the historical view of homosexuality as being inherently pathological (American Psychiatric Association, 1973; Le Vay, 1996). However, research shows that some, but not all, gay men are at increased risk of a range of difficulties, including substance use, depression, anxiety, and suicide (e.g., Ashman, 2004; Fergusson, Horwood, & Beautrais, 1999; Gonsiorek, 1988; Kulkin, Chauvin, Percle, 2000; Meyer, 2003). The current research aimed to investigate (a) whether psychosocial well-being varied according to stage of gay identity development based on Cass’ (1979) model of homosexual identity formation (HIF); and (b) why such stage-based variations in well-being occur. Participants were self-identified gay men who completed internet-based questionnaires. Studies 2, 3 and 4 included experimental manipulations. Study 1 revealed that the relationship between HIF stage and psychosocial well-being represented a U-shaped function. The early confusion and comparison stages and late pride and synthesis stages of HIF were associated with good psychosocial well-being. In contrast, the middle tolerance and acceptance stages of HIF were associated with poor well-being. Study 2 revealed that acceptance stage participants demonstrated more closeting, lower in-group identification, lower membership collective self-esteem, and lower private collective self-esteem than did synthesis stage participants. However, none of these variables mediated the effects of HIF stage on well-being. In Study 3, I used improved measures of in-group identification and closeting and found that, compared to synthesis participants, acceptance participants reported greater identity salience and less global identification and used acting straight and closeting strategies to a greater extent. Importantly, in Study 4, I found that global identification, identity salience and the acting straight strategy independently mediated the effects of HIF stage on psychosocial well-being. These latter findings suggest that acceptance stage people have poorer well-being because (a) they identify less with the gay in-group, (b) they are more preoccupied with their gay identity, and (c) they make greater use of an acting straight strategy to manage their identity. Taken together, these findings lend empirical support to Cass’ (1979) model of HIF and contradict the notion that homosexuality is inherently pathological. Rather, individuals’ responses to membership of a negatively valued social group hold significant implications for their well-being. Two key implications follow from this research. First, at the individual level, the nature and timing of clinical interventions to assist gay men must be appropriate to their stage of HIF. Second, at the society level, broad social change is required to reduce stigma associated with gay identity.