Contemplation about one’s sexual orientation identity (i.e., the conscious understanding of sexual orientation in context) may occur for a variety of reasons over time. A small body of recent research has begun to address the mechanisms and factors that may influence changes in sexual orientation identity during adulthood. The Sexual Landscape Model, the Facilitative Environments Model, and the Life Course-Sexual Landscape Model all have begun to describe the factors influencing change. However, these models conflict in the way they group mechanisms of change, and none functionally differentiate between identity development factors that may map onto disparate health outcomes. For the current study, virtual interviews were conducted with 25 participants. A Multi-Grounded Theory approach to qualitative analysis was utilized to broaden the understanding of factors that predict change or stasis in sexual orientation identity during adulthood. The Contextual Motivations Model was developed to describe mechanisms underlying and factors influencing change or maintenance of one’s sexual orientation identity label, specifically as they may relate to health outcomes. The Contextual Motivations Model consists of five levels of influence (Sociocultural Context, Interior Context, Relevant Events, Motivations, and Responses), which are organized as a series of concentric nested circles, with each level further represented by a visual map. The model is bidirectional, wherein each level of influence may interact with its counterparts. In addition to developing the Contextual Motivations Model, the current research identified unique properties of “queer” as an identity label, and potential gaps in the current academic understanding of sexual fluidity.
Call Number
LE3 .A278 2025
Date Issued
2025
Supervisor
Degree Name
Master of Science
Degree Level
Masters
Degree Discipline
Affiliation
Abstract
Publisher
Acadia University