title: The Role of Identity Integration in Hedonic Adaptation to a Beneficial Life Change: The Example of "Coming Out" for Lesbians and Gay Men.
abstract: After apparently beneficial life changes, people are expected to experience elevated well-being. However, research suggests that some individuals adapt quickly to change, so their well-being increases little in the long-term. We propose this phenomenon is explained by the integration of the changes into identity, in interaction with perceived valence of the changes. We hypothesized that higher integration would be associated with smaller increases in well-being for changes perceived as positive. For changes perceived as negative, higher integration would be associated with larger increases in well-being. Lesbians and gay men (N = 80) completed a questionnaire on well-being, perceived valence of coming out and its integration into identity. Moderated regressions supported the hypotheses, revealing the importance of considering identity integration and perceived valence in research on adaptation to changes. The results question the merits of interventions promoting identity integration.
authors.affiliation: a Université du Québec à Montréal.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coulombe
authors.forename: Roxane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de la Sablonnière
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012933:Social Identification
keywords: coming out; hedonic adaptation; identity integration; lesbians and gay men; life change