Self-acceptance and self-disclosure of sexual orientation in lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults: An attachment perspective.

TLDR

The study tested a model linking attachment variables—childhood attachment representations, perceived parental support, general attachment working model, and LGB‑specific factors—to self‑acceptance and sexual‑orientation disclosure in 489 LGB adults. Results supported the model, showing that attachment avoidance and anxiety predict self‑acceptance difficulties, avoidance predicts lower outness, and parental attachment influences identity and outness indirectly via parental LGB support and general attachment, with some gender and parental religious differences.

Abstract

A model linking attachment variables with self-acceptance and self-disclosure of sexual orientation was tested using data from 489 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults. The model included the following 4 domains of variables: (a) representations of childhood attachment experiences with parents, (b) perceptions of parental support for sexual orientation, (c) general working model of attachment, and (d) LGB variables. Results generally supported the proposed model. For example, attachment avoidance and anxiety were associated with self-acceptance difficulties, and avoidance was associated with low levels of outness in everyday life. Parental attachment had an indirect effect on identity and outness through its associations with parental LGB support and general attachment. Some results varied depending on participants' gender and parental religious affiliation.