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Shortcomings of transgender identity concealment research: a scoping review of associations with mental health
   

Shortcomings of transgender identity concealment research: a scoping review of associations with mental health

Lily A. Osmetti, Kachina R. Allen Desirée Kozlowski
International journal of transgender health, Vol.26(1), pp.25-49
2025
: https://doi.org/10.1080/26895269.2024.2367653
: 39981286
 

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Shortcomings of transgender identity concealment research: a scoping review of associations with mental health2.90 MB
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Shortcomings of transgender identity concealment research: a scoping review of associations with mental health
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research.portal.fulldisplay.sdgs.intro

#3 Good Health and Well-Being
#5 Gender Equality

research.portal.fulldisplay.sdgs.source

Concealment disclosure gender minorities mental health minority stress
Background Empirical research indicates that high rates of mental health issues in members of marginalised population groups are predicted in part by their decisions to disclose or conceal their stigmatized identities from others—a field of study known as outness research. Transgender outness research is a nascent branch of this field. It reflects neither the multidimensional view of disclosure and concealment adopted in other branches, nor the ability to address unique aspects of trans outness, such as the practical challenges of concealment and the difference between concealing one’s gender identity and concealing one’s assigned sex. Consequently, prior literature may not accurately represent the effects of transgender identity disclosure and concealment. Methods This scoping review explores the theoretical and operational definitions of trans disclosure and concealment in 46 English-language papers, identified from extensive database searches, addressing relationships between these concepts and mental health factors. Results Findings indicate that the issues outlined above remain unresolved, even in the widely-used nondisclosure subscale of the Gender Minority Stress and Resilience Measure, and are rarely recognized as a potential source of error. Although small detrimental effects of concealment and beneficial effects of disclosure on mental health were reported in the reviewed studies, reliable conclusions about these relationships and their importance to health and safety in the trans community cannot be drawn while these shortcomings are overlooked. Conclusion We encourage researchers to address these neglected areas, reevaluate the language used in measurement questions, and conduct longitudinal research to support an accurate understanding of trans outness phenomena.
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