Abstract
There has been limited research conducted on sexual orientation disclosure patterns, and identifying the factors that influence these patterns, as well as any consequential impacts on mental health. This study endeavors to fill this void by drawing on the theoretical framework of face and favor and a grounded theory of coming out to family. A total of 1,453 Chinese LGB people completed a battery of measures in July, 2019. Latent profile analysis identified four profiles: Low Disclosure (LD), Disclosure to Parents (DP), Disclosure to the World (DW), and High Disclosure (HD). The LD profile was more likely to be born in rural areas than the DP profile, more likely to be male than the DW profile, least likely to have a same-sex partner, and had the lowest income. The HD and DP profiles had higher enacted stigma from the family than the DW and LD profiles. The LD and DP profiles had higher internalized, perceived public, and anticipated stigma than the DW and HD profiles. The HD and LD profiles had the highest and lowest perceived parental support for sexual orientation, respectively. The LD Profile had the highest authoritarian filial piety. Furthermore, the DW and HD profiles had higher mental well-being than the LD and DP profiles. These findings highlight the complex interplay of various individual, familial, cultural, and social factors that impact the coming out process among Chinese LGB individuals. Implications of findings for practice and research are discussed.
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Data Availability
The datasets and material in the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Code Availability
The code in the current study is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Liu, F., Ren, Z., Chui, H. et al. Coming Out Among Chinese LGB Adults: A Latent Profile Analysis. Sex Res Soc Policy 21, 193–209 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-023-00877-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-023-00877-1