The relationship between negative attributional style and psychological well-being among LGB individuals: the role of concealment behavior

Despite significant advances in acceptance and rights of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals, this population often faces negative and stigma-related stressors in their lives. In this study, we examined whether negative attributional style (NAS) for stigma-related stressors is associated with psychological well-being and whether concealment behavior, which has also been associated with harm to psychological well-being, may mediate such association. Furthermore, we examined whether elapsed time since initial disclosure may moderate the link between concealment behavior and psychological well-being. A sample of 69 participants, self-identified as LGB, completed self-report measures of attributions towards stigma-related stressors, identity concealment behavior, elapsed time since initial disclosure, and psychological well-being. We found that NAS for stigma-related stressors is associated with lower psychological well-being and that concealment behavior mediated the association. Elapsed time since initial disclosure did not significantly moderate the link between concealment behavior and psychological well-being. These findings suggest that concealment behavior may serve as a mechanism linking internal beliefs to psychological well-being and highlight the need to consider targeting concealment behavior in interventions for LGB individuals.