Rethinking the dichotomy of sexual identity and relational intimacies: Chinese gay men’s mental health in mixed-orientation marriages

ABSTRACT

Very little research has examined the psychological adjustment of gay men in mixed-orientation marriages (MOMs) – a marital union wherein one spouse is a sexual minority person (e.g. gay/lesbian, bisexual) while the other is heterosexual. Examining gay men’s psychological adjustment in MOMs provides insights into how sexual identity intersects with relationship dynamics to shape mental health in heteronormative societies. Based on survey responses from 54 Chinese gay men in MOMs who simultaneously engage in a same-sex relationship occurring outside of marriages, the current exploratory study examined the relative contributions of marital relationship quality, same-sex relationship quality, and sexual identity to their psychological adjustment (i.e. depression, life satisfaction, and loneliness). Multiple regression analyses revealed that positive sexual identity was a significantly negative predictor of depression and loneliness and a significantly positive predictor of life satisfaction. Whereas marital relationship quality was significantly and positively associated with life satisfaction and negatively associated with loneliness, same-sex relationship quality was not a significant predictor of psychological adjustment. Results indicate that both sexual identity and marital relationship quality play important roles in the mental health of gay men in MOMs. Discussion focuses on the sociocultural contexts in China that in part shape gay men’s situations in MOMs.

KEYWORDS:

• Gay men
• MSM
• marital relationship quality
• sexual identity
• mixed-orientation marriage
• mental health

Acknowledgments

We thank Professor Ellen Greenberger for her insights in the conceptualization of this project and Feng Lu and Changhui Song for their research assistance. We also thank members of UCI Thrive Lab for their comments on an earlier draft. This work was supported by funding from the Long US-China Institute at the University of California, Irvine.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Long US-China Institute, University of California, Irvine.

Notes on contributors

Jianmin Shao

Jianmin Shao, MA, is a fourth-year graduate student in the Department of Psychological Science at the University of California, Irvine, specialising in developmental psychology and feminist studies. Their research is at the intersection of feminist psychology, queer anthropology, and globalisation.

Chuansheng Chen

Chuansheng Chen, PhD, is a Chancellor’s Professor of Psychological Science and Education at University of California, Irvine. He has diverse research interests ranging from cross-cultural psychology, adolescent development, cognitive neuroscience, and behaviour genetics.

Jessica L. Borelli

Jessica L. Borelli, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Psychological Science at University of California, Irvine. She is a clinical psychologist specialising the field of developmental psychopathology; her research focuses on the links between close relationships, emotions, health, and development, with a particular focus on risk for anxiety and depression.