Sources of Coming Out Self-Efficacy for Lesbians

Abstract

The empirical literature on disclosing a lesbian sexual orientation has explored the circumstantial and demographic variables related to this act. This exploratory study utilized self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1986) to investigate the extent to which each of the four sources of efficacy information (e.g., performance accomplishments, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, or emotional arousal) contributed to the coming out self-efficacy of lesbians, that is, the sense of confidence possessed by a lesbian to disclose her sexual orientation to others. Anonymous survey packets were completed by 134 lesbians. Results of regression analyses indicated that emotional arousal was the most potent predictor of coming out self-efficacy. Verbal persuasion and vicarious experience also were significant. The most theoretically salient source of self-efficacy information, performance accomplishments (Bandura, 1986), was not a significant predictor of coming out self-efficacy. Further, significant correlations were found between coming out self-efficacy and outness and life-style satisfaction, which were also significantly correlated to measures of psychological adjustment.

The Daily Heterosexist Experiences Questionnaire

“…With respect to gender, men had more distress associated with victimization and HIV/AIDS; this is in line with men's higher risk of LGBT-specific victimization (D'Augelli & Grossman, 2001; Herek, 2009; Herek, Gillis, & Cogan, 1999) and greater exposure to HIV/AIDS risk-related concerns (Lewis et al, 2001; Yi et al, 2010; Yi et al, 2011). Women reported greater distress associated with gender nonconformity, parenting, and vicarious trauma, which is also in accordance with the long-standing cultural relevance of gender expression in lesbian and bisexual communities (Nestle, 1992), the fact that women in same-sex relationships are more likely than men to be raising children (Solomon, Rothblum, & Balsam, 2004), and the impact of vicarious trauma on lesbian women (Anderson & Mavis, 1996). …”

Sources of Perceived Self-Efficacy as Predictors of Physical Activity in Older Adults

“…However, relative importance of the sources seems to depend to a large extent upon which kind of behavior is investigated, as for example for job and coming out self-efficacy (self-efficacy for disclosing one's homosexuality), mastery experiences were less important than other sources (M.K. Anderson & Mavis, 1996;Chiles & Zorn, 1995).…”

Multiple Mediational Model of Outness, Social Support, Mental Health, and Wellness Behavior in Ethnically Diverse Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer Women

“…15 Other research has found that outness among sexual minority women is associated with less anxiety, more positive affect, greater selfesteem, 16 less psychological distress, 17 higher self-efficacy, and more lifestyle satisfaction. 18 Additionally, disclosure of sexual orientation to health care providers has been associated with greater health care utilization. 6,9,19 Among lesbian and bisexual women, nondisclosure of sexual orientation to parents has been associated with greater drug abuse and depression, as well as poorer wellness behaviors in comparison to lesbian and bisexual women who have disclosed.…”