2025/12/01 by Zoé Caravecchia-Pelletier, Martin Blais, Jesse Gervais +1 · 1 voice
Psychology · Social Sciences · #LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy #Attachment and Relationship Dynamics #Intimate Partner and Family Violence
paper · doi:10.3138/cjhs-2025-0020
openalex publication_date 2025/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/12/19 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26
The visibility management of bi+ individuals involves a continuous negotiation between the pursuit of authenticity and the risks of rejection or violence associated with disclosure. Within the family—a key developmental context for youth—bi+ identity disclosure is often selective, and its impact on youth’s well-being remains underexplored. This study examines how authenticity mediates the relationship between family disclosure and well-being among bi+ youth, and how family bullying mediates or moderates this association. It also explores whether these dynamics vary by developmental period. Data were collected through a pan-Canadian online survey (2019–2020), with an analytical sample of 954 bisexual and pansexual youth aged 15–29. Using causal mediation analyses, we tested two models, controlling for sexual orientation, gender identity and modality, racialized status, living arrangement, financial stress, and developmental period, after confirming the absence of a moderating role. Results indicate that authenticity mediated the positive relationship between disclosure to family and well-being among bi+ youth. This indirect effect was either part of a joint mediation involving family bullying, or moderated by it, becoming non-significant when family bullying was present. These findings underscore the detrimental role of family bullying in preventing disclosure from fostering authenticity and, consequently, well-being. Future research should further investigate the complex family dynamics surrounding bi+ youth disclosure, particularly how authenticity and family bullying interact with other family characteristics such as parental and sibling support, family structure, and cultural norms. Examining the directionality of these relationships longitudinally and identifying the subgroups or contexts where family bullying acts as a mediator or a moderator will be key for future research seeking to disentangle these effects.