Calatrava, M.; Sullins, D.P.; James, S. Sexual Identity–Behavior Discordant Heterosexuals in Britain: Findings from the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyle 2010–2012 (Natsal-3). Sexes2023, 4, 601-621.
Calatrava, M.; Sullins, D.P.; James, S. Sexual Identity–Behavior Discordant Heterosexuals in Britain: Findings from the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyle 2010–2012 (Natsal-3). Sexes 2023, 4, 601-621.
Calatrava, M.; Sullins, D.P.; James, S. Sexual Identity–Behavior Discordant Heterosexuals in Britain: Findings from the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyle 2010–2012 (Natsal-3). Sexes2023, 4, 601-621.
Calatrava, M.; Sullins, D.P.; James, S. Sexual Identity–Behavior Discordant Heterosexuals in Britain: Findings from the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyle 2010–2012 (Natsal-3). Sexes 2023, 4, 601-621.
Abstract
This study delves into heterosexual identity-behavior discordance, exploring the interaction between sexual identification and behavior in U.K. Analyzing representative 2010 data from the British population (N=12,472), the research categorizes participants into different groups: nonheterosexual, concordant heterosexual, and three discordant heterosexual categories (closeted, experimenters, and desisters). These groups were compared in terms of sociodemographics, attitudes towards sexuality, risk behaviors and health indicators. Discordance was associated with permissive social attitudes, including behaviors such as adultery and one-night stands, and with increased substance abuse and risky sexual behaviors, especially among the closeted. Surprisingly, physical and mental health of discordant heterosexuals was similar to concordant heterosexuals, in contrast to the poorer health of nonheterosexuals. Due to the significant variations in lifestyles and health indicators among different groups, this study highlights the importance of providing targeted services and interventions.
Keywords
Sexual orientation, Sexual identity, Discordance, Sexual minority, Risk behaviors, Mental health.
Subject
Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
