UC Irvine

Very little research has examined the well-being of sexual minority men in mixed-orientation marriages—a marital union wherein one spouse is gay, lesbian, or bisexual while the other is heterosexual. Examining men’s well-being in such marital contexts provides insights into how sexual orientation intersects with relationship dynamics to shape mental health for minority individuals in heteronormative societies. Based on survey responses from 79 sexual minority men who were in mixed-orientation marriages while also engaging in a same-sex relationship, the current exploratory study examined the relative contributions of marital relationship quality, same-sex relationship quality, and sexual identity to sexual minority men’s psychological well-being. Results of hierarchical linear regressions showed that (1) measures of martial relationship quality were not significantly associated with sexual minority men’s psychological well-being, (2) positive sexual identity was significantly and negatively associated with depression and loneliness, and (3) same-sex relationship satisfaction was significantly and negatively associated with loneliness. Discussion pays particular attention to the sociocultural contexts that in part shape sexual minority men’s situations in mixed-orientation marriages.