Abstract

This study examined associations between sexual orientation concealment and anxiety symptoms among South Korean sex- ual minority young adults. In total, 311 participants aged 19–39 years who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual were recruited from online LGBT communities and university online bulletin boards. Participants completed self-report measures assessing anxiety symptoms, sexual orientation disclosure and concealment, and experiences of microaggressions and social stigma, along with demographic information. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that sexual orientation concealment signifi- cantly predicted higher anxiety symptoms after controlling for disclosure, microaggressions, social stigma, and subjective economic status. Moderation analyses further indicated that the concealment–anxiety association was significant only among lesbian participants, and not among gay or bisexual participants. These findings suggest that behavioral concealment of sex- ual orientation may be associated with anxiety among South Korean sexual minorities, with exploratory analyses indicating that this association was most evident among lesbian participants. Given the preliminary nature of the moderation findings, this pattern requires replication. The results underscore the need for psychological interventions addressing concealment-re- lated processes and minority stress in this population.