2024/04/30 by Jordan D. X. Hinton · 1 voice
Psychology · #LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
paper · doi:10.4324/9781003128151-30
openalex publication_date 2024/04/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/14
LGBTQ+ identity development has traditionally been a challenging process for individuals, starting with feelings of confusion and uncertainty regarding the identity, and progressing towards identity acceptance and pride. Throughout the developmental process, LGBTQ+ individuals attempt to connect with similar others and belong to social groups with similar identity characteristics, behaviours, beliefs, and values. Social identity approaches may provide some insight on understanding the developmental processes of LGBTQ+ identities, as it also emphasizes important influences within the individual’s interpersonal and external environment (e.g. societal stigma). These external factors may make the developmental process more challenging, and indeed affect psychosocial outcomes associated with identity development (e.g. health and well-being). The main purpose of this chapter is twofold. First, I review and critique historical and contemporary models of LGBTQ+ identity development, with a particular focus on the social and environmental elements of these models. Second, I discuss how processes of social identity (namely, group prototypicality and social identification) can influence LGBTQ+ identities through the lens of research on health and stigma. Finally, future research directions will be proposed.