(PS6-17) Distress Intolerance and Identity Concealment in LGBTQ+ Ethnic Minorities

LGBTQ+ individuals face disproportionately high rates of stigma and discrimination compared to heterosexual people (The Trevor Project, 2024). These experiences cause distress, which is particularly concerning for those with distress intolerance (DI)—difficulty tolerating emotional discomfort. To reduce distress and protect against harm, LGBTQ+ individuals may engage in identity concealment (IC)—efforts to hide their sexual minority identity (Riggle et al., 2023). Less is known about whether those with intersecting marginalized identities, who face compounded distress from multiple forms of discrimination, are more likely to engage in IC. Research shows ethnic minorities have higher DI than white people, as chronic racial discrimination impairs their ability to manage discomfort (Le et al., 2021). For LGBTQ+ ethnic minorities navigating multiple marginalized identities, heightened DI may be more strongly associated with IC than LGBTQ+ white people. Moreover, little research has explored the distress LGBTQ+ ethnic minorities associate with IC, which may carry its own stressors (Riggle et al., 2017). Exploring DI’s role in IC and IC distress may shed light on psychological barriers to mental health for LGBTQ+ ethnic minorities.

This study analyzes the relationship between DI and IC in LGBTQ+ adults. We predict that higher DI predicts higher IC and that minority status moderates this relationship, such that the association between DI and IC is stronger for LGBTQ+ ethnic minorities than white participants. Participants (n = 799, Mage = 30.2) were recruited through online survey platforms. 71.7% identified as White, 10.6% Multiracial, 5% Black, 5.9% Hispanic/Latino, 5.4% Asian/Pacific Islander, 1.3% Other, and 0.1% Arab/Middle Eastern. They completed the Distress Intolerance Scale and Daily Heterosexist Experiences Questionnaire, which measures IC frequency and distress associated with IC. Simple linear regressions were run to analyze the relationship between DI and IC.

Higher DI significantly predicted more IC (β=2.35, p< 0.001) and more distress associated with IC (β=1.54, p< 0.001). Minority status did not moderate the relationship between DI and IC frequency; however, it moderated the relationship between DI and IC distress (β=1.92, p</span>< 0.01), such that DI contributed to more IC distress in ethnic minority LGBTQ+ participants compared to white participants.

The study suggests that DI predicts distress associated with IC in LGBTQ+ adults. One reason may be that IC is often associated with reduced authenticity and sense of belonging, which may increase distress (Newheiser & Barreto, 2014). Results also suggest that the relationship between DI and IC distress may be stronger in LGBTQ+ ethnic minorities than LGBTQ+ white people. DI for LGBTQ+ ethnic minorities may heighten IC distress, potentially driven by compounded minority stress from both racial stressors and LGBTQ+ stigma. While IC may provide protection, its distress may reflect difficulties in connecting with either their ethnic or LGBTQ+ community (Ghabrial, 2016). Interventions might focus on expanding the window of distress tolerance for LGBTQ+ ethnic minorities to help them safely express their identities.