A concealable intervention for a concealed group: Applying self-affirmation interventions to people with concealable stigmatized identities

Abstract

People with concealable stigmatized identities (CSIs)—identities that are devalued by society, but membership can be hidden (e.g., sexual or gender minority, mental illness, sexual assault survivor)—report high rates of negative health outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety, illness symptoms). The current literature on CSIs suggests that disclosing one's CSI may promote positive health outcomes, but this approach leaves behind individuals who are unable to disclose due to financial, safety, or personal reasons. The current integrative review examines how self-affirmation –reaffirming a part of one's identity after a psychologically threatening experience—may buffer against negative health outcomes among people with CSIs; a technique that does not require disclosure to reap the benefits. The purpose of this article is to describe why self-affirmation may be effective at targeting various factors of CSIs (e.g., anticipated stigma, internalization, centrality, salience) and to call for interventions examining self-affirmations in this population.