An Etiological Model of Anxiety in Young Gay Men: From Early Stress to Public Self-Consciousness

作者：Pachankis John E^*; Bernstein Laura B

来源：Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 2012, 13(2): 107-122.

DOI：10.1037/a0024594

• gay
• anxiety
• social anxiety
• concealment
• sexual orientation

This study proposed a path model linking boyhood gender nonconformity and parental disapproval of self-expression to public self-consciousness, attempts to cover or down-play the visibility and relevance of one's sexual minority identity, and anxious affect in the daily lives of young gay male college students (mean age = 20.56, SD = 2.13). To establish the relevance of boyhood gender nonconformity and parental disapproval of self-expression in gay men's lives, gay participants' (n = 136) scores on these variables were first compared with the scores of a similar sample of young heterosexual men (n = 56) and then linked to reports of public self-consciousness, covering, and anxious affect measured over the course of nine days. As hypothesized, gay men reported experiencing these developmental stressors to a higher degree than their heterosexual peers. The best fitting path model in the sample of gay men established the mediating role of daily public self-consciousness and sexual orientation covering in the relationship between parental disapproval of self-expression and daily anxiety. This final model connects etiological models of anxiety to the developmental stressors faced by some gay men. The results suggest routes through which gay-related stress may begin earlier in development than commonly assumed, while continuing to impact gay men's open self-expression, and ultimately their experience of anxiety, into young adulthood. Public self-consciousness and sexual orientation covering are discussed as psychotherapeutic targets to address in order to alleviate anxious symptoms among young gay men.

• 出版日期2012-4