The subject matter is that of interest to many people and has been a source of debate for years.
This study found that there are various factors influencing how individuals perceive and manage their sexual orientation and gender identity. While some studies have looked at the impact of these issues on performance outcomes, few have examined how it affects mental health and social trust. This study investigated how hidden or concealed sexual orientation influences both mental health and social trust among active duty personnel in the military environment. In the military environment, secrecy about one's sexual orientation can lead to feelings of isolation, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts. The findings suggest that concealing one's sexual orientation may be associated with worse mental health outcomes. It was also linked to lower levels of social trust within the unit. These results suggest that service members who were hiding their true identities reported more stress than those who openly identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, non-binary, questioning, pansexual, polyamorous, demisexual, sexually fluid, etc. Concealment of one's sexual orientation can negatively impact performance outcomes by leading to distraction from work tasks, decreased job satisfaction, decreased motivation to perform well, increased likelihood of errors, higher rates of missed deadlines, less teamwork, greater absenteeism, reduced engagement, and poorer communication skills.
This article provides valuable insights into the effect of concealed sexuality on mental health, social trust, and performance outcomes in military environments. The results indicate that concealing one's sexual orientation can lead to negative psychological effects such as depression and anxiety.
It can create social distance between individuals in the unit, which could impair collaboration and teamwork.
This study highlights the importance of creating an inclusive and supportive workplace for all employees regardless of their sexual identity.
How do hidden or concealed sexual orientations affect mental health, social trust, and performance outcomes in military environments?
Concealing one's sexual orientation can have both positive and negative effects on mental health, social trust, and performance outcomes in military environments. On the one hand, some people who hide their sexual orientation may experience increased stress, anxiety, depression, and other negative psychological effects as a result of feeling forced to keep their true selves hidden. This can lead to decreased job satisfaction, reduced motivation, and poorer performance outcomes in the workplace.