Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Sexual Orientation Discordance and Young Adult Mental Health

  • Empirical Research
  • Published:
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

During the course of sexual development, many people experience dissonance between dimensions of sexual orientation, including attraction, behavior, and identity. This study assesses the relationship between sexual orientation discordance and mental health. Data were obtained from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (n = 8,915; female = 54.62 %; non-Hispanic black = 18.83 %, Hispanic = 14.91 %, other race (non-white) = 10.79 %). Multivariable linear regression evaluated the correlation between sexual orientation discordance and perceived stress and depressive symptomatology. Models were stratified by sex and sexual identity. Among self-identified heterosexual females and mostly heterosexual males, sexual orientation discordance predicted significantly increased depressive symptomatology. No other subpopulation demonstrated a significant correlation between sexual orientation discordance and depressive symptomatology or perceived stress. The association between sexual orientation discordance and depressive symptomatology suggests a link between sexuality, self-concept, and mental health.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baunach, D. M., & Burgess, E. O. (2013). Sexual identity in the American deep South: The concordance and discordance of sexual activity, relationships, and identities. Journal of Homosexuality, 60(9), 1315–1335. doi:10.1080/00918369.2013.806179.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boyle, S. C., & Omoto, A. M. (2014). Lesbian community oughts and ideals: Normative fit, depression, and anxiety among young sexual minority women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 38(1), 33–45. doi:10.1177/0361684313484900.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, N. R. (2010). The sexual relationships of sexual-minority women partnered with trans men: A qualitative study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 39(2), 561–572. doi:10.1007/s10508-009-9511-9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cochran, S. D., & Mays, V. M. (2000). Relation between psychiatric syndromes and behaviorally defined sexual orientation in a sample of the US population. American Journal of Epidemiology, 151(5), 516–523.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385–396.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, L. M. (2005). A new view of lesbian subtypes: Stable versus fluid identity trajectories over an 8-year period. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 29, 119–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, L. M. (2008). Female bisexuality from adolescence to adulthood: Results from a 10-year longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 44(1), 5–14. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.44.1.5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., & Beautrais, A. L. (1999). Is sexual orientation related to mental health problems and suicidality in young people? Archives of General Psychiatry, 56, 876–880.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, M. S., Silvestre, A. J., Gold, M. A., Markovic, N., Savin-Williams, R. C., Huggins, J., et al. (2004). Adolescents define sexual orientation and suggest ways to measure it. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 303–317. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2004.03.006.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gattis, M. N., Sacco, P., & Cunningham-Williams, R. M. (2012). Substance use and mental health disorders among heterosexual identified men and women who have same-sex partners or same-sex attraction: Results from the National epidemiological survey on alcohol and related conditions. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 41(5), 1185–1197. doi:10.1007/s10508-012-9910-1.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gonnerman, M. E., Parker, C. P., Lavine, H., & Huff, J. (2000). The relationship between self-discrepancies and affective states: The moderating roles of self-monitoring and standpoints on the self. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26(7), 810–819. doi:10.1177/0146167200269006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harper, G. W., Serrano, P. A., Bruce, D., & Bauermeister, J. A. (2015). The internet’s multiple roles in facilitating the sexual orientation identity development of gay and bisexual male adolescents. American Journal of Men’s Health,. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195326789.003.0013.

    PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, K. M., Halpern, C. T., Whitsel, E., Hussey, J., Tabor, J., Entzel, P., and Udry, J. R. (2009). The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health: Research Design. Retrieved from http://www.cpc.unc.edu/projects/addhealth/design.

  • Hatzenbuehler, M. L. (2009). How does sexual minority stigma “get under the skin?”a psychological mediation framework. Psychological Bulletin, 135(5), 707–730. doi:10.1037/a0016441.How.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hensel, D. J., Fortenberry, J. D., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Orr, D. P. (2011). The developmental Association of sexual self-concept with sexual behavior among adolescent women. Journal of Adolescence, 34(4), 675–684. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2010.09.005.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Herek, G. M. (2000). The psychology of sexual prejudice. Current Diretions in Psychological Science, 9(1), 19–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, E. T. (1987). Self-discrepancy: A theory relating self and affect. Psychological Review, 94(3), 319–340. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.94.3.319.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Igartua, K., Thombs, B. D., Burgos, G., & Montoro, R. (2009). Concordance and discrepancy in sexual identity, attraction, and behavior among adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45(6), 602–608. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.03.019.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lapinski, M. K., Braz, M. E., & Maloney, E. K. (2010). The down low, social stigma, and risky sexual behaviors: Insights from African–American men who have sex with men. Journal of Homosexuality, 57(5), 610–633. doi:10.1080/00918361003712020.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Large, M. D., & Marcussen, K. (2000). Extending identity theory to predict differential forms and degrees of psychological distress. Social Psychology Quarterly, 63(1), 49–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lhomond, B., Saurel-Cubizolles, M. J., Michaels, S., & Group, T. C. (2014). A multidimensional measure of sexual orientation, use of psychoactive substances, and depression: Results of a national survey on sexual behavior in france. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 43, 607–619. doi:10.1007/s10508-013-0124-y.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mays, V. M., & Cochran, S. D. (2001). Mental health correlates of perceived discrimination among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 91(11), 1869–1876.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, I. H. (2013). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 1(S), 3–26. doi:10.1037/2329-0382.1.S.3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohr, J. J., & Kendra, M. S. (2011). Revision and extension of a multidimensional measure of sexual minority identity: The lesbian, gay, and bisexual identity scale. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 58(2), 234–245. doi:10.1037/a0022858.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Needham, B. L. (2012). Sexual attraction and trajectories of mental health and substance use during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 41, 179–190. doi:10.1007/s10964-011-9729-4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Sullivan, L. F., and Thompson, A. E. (2014). Sexuality in Adolescence. APA handbook of sexuality and psychology, Vol. 1: Person-based approaches. (Vol. 1). doi:10.1037/14193-015.

  • Pathela, P., Hajat, A., Schillinger, J., Blank, S., Sell, R., & Mostashari, F. (2006). Discordance between sexual behavior and self-reported sexual identity: A population-based survey of new york city men. Annals of Internal Medicine, 145, 416–425.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pega, F., Gray, A., Veale, J. F., Binson, D., & Sell, R. L. (2013). Toward global comparability of sexual orientation data in official statistics: A conceptual framework of sexual orientation for health data collection in New Zealand’s official statistics system. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 6, 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radloff, L. S. (1977). The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general Population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1(3), 385–401. doi:10.1177/014662167700100306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rostosky, S. S., Dekhtyar, O., Cupp, P. K., & Anderman, E. M. (2008). Sexual self-concept and sexual self-efficacy in adolescents: A possible clue to promoting sexual health? The Journal of Sex Research, 45(3), 277–286. doi:10.1080/00224490802204480.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, S. T., Clarke, T. J., & Clary, J. (2009). Are teens “‘post-gay’”? contemporary adolescents’ sexual identity labels. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38, 884–890. doi:10.1007/s10964-008-9388-2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saewyc, E. M. (2011). Research on adolescent sexual orientation: Development, health disparities, stigma, and resilience. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 21(1), 256–272. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00727.x.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Savin-Williams, R. C., & Diamond, L. M. (2000). Sexual identity trajectories among sexual-minority youths: Gender comparisons. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 29(6), 607–627.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Savin-Williams, R. C., & Ream, G. L. (2007). Prevalence and stability of sexual orientation components during adolescence and young adulthood. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 36, 385–394. doi:10.1007/s10508-006-9088-5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Strauman, T. J. (1989). Self-discrepancies in clinical depression and social phobia: Cognitive structures that underlie emotional disorders. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 98(1), 14–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Strutz, K. L., Herring, A. H., & Halpern, C. T. (2015). Health disparities among young adult sexual minorities in the US. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 48(1), 76–88. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2014.07.038.Health.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Talley, A. E., Aranda, F., Hughes, T. L., Everett, B., & Johnson, T. P. (2015). Longitudinal associations among discordant sexual orientation dimensions and hazardous drinking in a cohort of sexual minority women. Social Identities and Health, 56(2), 225–245. doi:10.1177/0022146515582099.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tolman, D. L., & Mcclelland, S. I. (2011). Normative sexuality development in adolescence: A decade in review, 2000–2009. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 21(1), 242–255. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00726.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead, N. E. (2013). Is first same sex attraction a developmental milestone? Journal of Human Sexuality, 5, 37–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolitski, R. J., Jones, K. T., Wasserman, J. L., & Smith, J. C. (2006). Self-identification as “down low” among men who have sex with men (msm) from 12 us cities. AIDS and Behavior, 10, 519–529. doi:10.1007/s10461-006-9095-5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research uses data from Add Health, a program project directed by Kathleen Mullan Harris and designed by J. Richard Udry, Peter S. Bearman, and Kathleen Mullan Harris at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and funded by grant P01-HD31921 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with cooperative funding from 23 other federal agencies and foundations. Special acknowledgment is due Ronald R. Rindfuss and Barbara Entwisle for assistance in the original design. Information on how to obtain the Add Health data files is available on the Add Health website (http://www.cpc.unc.edu/addhealth). No direct support was received from grant P01-HD31921 for this analysis.

Funding

No funding was provided for the completion of the study detailed in this manuscript.

Authors’ Contributions

ML conceived of the study, participated in study design, performed the statistical analyses, interpreted the results, and drafted the manuscript. BN conceived of the study, participated in study design, helped interpret the results, and helped draft the manuscript. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Michael A. Lourie & Belinda L. Needham

Authors
  1. Michael A. Lourie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Belinda L. Needham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael A. Lourie.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of interest

The authors report no conflict of interests.

Ethical Approval

The study detailed in this manuscript was approved by the University of Michigan’s IRB (HUM00077675).

Informed Consent

Add Health participants provided written informed consent for participation in all aspects of Add Health in accordance with the University of North Carolina School of Public Health Institutional Review Board guidelines that are based on the Code of Federal Regulations on the Protection of Human Subjects 45CFR46.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lourie, M.A., Needham, B.L. Sexual Orientation Discordance and Young Adult Mental Health. J Youth Adolescence 46, 943–954 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0553-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0553-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation