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Coming Out Growth: Conceptualizing and Measuring Stress-Related Growth Associated with Coming Out to Others as a Sexual Minority

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Abstract

Coming out has long been depicted as a process that is conducive to personal growth. However, LGBTQ psychology has yet to conduct systematic, theoretically informed research to study how individuals experience coming out growth (COG) and the impact of such experiences on the lives of sexual minorities. The present investigation seeks to address these gaps in the literature through an examination of stress-related growth within the context of coming out as a sexual minority. Findings from a preliminary investigation of COG in a sample of 418 gay and lesbian adults are presented, including the development and initial validation of the coming out growth scale (COGS), and data addressing the relationship between COG and relevant constructs found in the literature on identity development and stress-related growth.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology and Neurobehavioral Sciences, The University of Virginia Center for Addiction Research and Education (UVA-CARE), Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Michelle D. Vaughan

  2. Department of Psychology, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA

    Charles A. Waehler

Authors
  1. Michelle D. Vaughan
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  2. Charles A. Waehler
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Correspondence to Charles A. Waehler.

Appendices

APPENDIX 1

Directions: Based on your own experiences of sharing your lesbian or gay identity (“coming out”) to others in your life, please indicate how this experience has directly impacted your life by choosing the response that best describes your experience.

As a result of coming out to others.

Coming out growth scale (COGS: Vaughan 2007)

1

2

3

4

5

Not at all/not applicable

A little bit

Moderately

Quite a bit

A lot

  1. 1.

    I am more satisfied with the amount of social support I have in my life. (IG)

  2. 2.

    I have come to see other lesbian/gay people in a more positive light. (CG)

  3. 3.

    I have greater access to potential romantic partner(s). (CG)

  4. 4.

    I feel less pressure to be dishonest about who I am attracted to/dating. (IG)

  5. 5.

    I feel like I “fit in” better with other lesbian and gay (LG) people. (CG)

  6. 6.

    I am more aware of the contributions gay/lesbian people have made to society. (CG)

  7. 7.

    I stand up for myself more within my relationships. (IG)

  8. 8.

    I am more comfortable with being lesbian/gay. (IG)

  9. 9.

    I have greater access to potential sexual partner(s). (CG)

  10. 10.

    I feel less pressure to dress or act according to gender stereotypes. (CG)

  11. 11.

    I have challenged others’ stereotypes about lesbian/gay people. (CG)

  12. 12.

    I have experienced positive changes in my relationship(s) with my partner(s). (IG)

  13. 13.

    I became more interested in social/political issues affecting lesbian/gay people. (CG)

  14. 14.

    I am more aware of negative treatment of lesbian/gay people in society. (CG)

  15. 15.

    I have more happiness and/or joy in my life. (IG)

  16. 16.

    My lesbian/gay identity feels like a more important part of who I am. (IG)

  17. 17.

    I have experienced positive changes in my relationships with straight people. (IG)

  18. 18.

    I feel more complete or whole as a person. (IG)

  19. 19.

    I began to question “traditional” heterosexual values and norms. (CG)

  20. 20.

    I feel more comfortable interacting with other people. (IG)

  21. 21.

    I believe I cope better with stress related to my lesbian/gay identity. (IG)

  22. 22.

    My self-confidence has increased. (IG)

  23. 23.

    Overall, my life feels less stressful. (IG)

  24. 24.

    I have become more involved in activities or organizations focused on lesbian/gay issues. (CG)

  25. 25.

    I have become a stronger/more courageous person. (IG)

  26. 26.

    I feel less pressure to be dishonest about my lesbian/gay identity with others. (IG)

  27. 27.

    My lesbian/gay identity feels more real/valid to me. (IG)

  28. 28.

    I respect myself more. (IG)

  29. 29.

    I have a stronger lesbian/gay identity. (--)

  30. 30.

    I have become more honest with important people in my life. (IG)

  31. 31.

    I am more free to be myself. (IG)

  32. 32.

    I have challenged my own stereotypes about lesbian/gay people. (CG)

  33. 33.

    I feel more genuine or authentic as a person. (IG)

  34. 34.

    I have experienced positive changes in my relationships with other lesbian/gay people. (--)

  35. 35.

    I am more comfortable discussing my lesbian/gay identity with others. (IG)

See Table 1

APPENDIX 2

See Tables 2 and 3

Table 2 Initial communality estimates for COGS EFA
Full size table
Table 3 Intercorrelations among COGS scores and key study variables
Full size table

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Vaughan, M.D., Waehler, C.A. Coming Out Growth: Conceptualizing and Measuring Stress-Related Growth Associated with Coming Out to Others as a Sexual Minority. J Adult Dev 17, 94–109 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-009-9084-9

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