Confirmatory factor analysis and measurement invariance of the sexual orientation concealment scale among nonbinary...

Sexual orientation concealment is a prevalent minority stressor among LGBTQ+ people (including nonbinary people) and it is associated with a series of adverse mental health outcomes. The Sexual Orientation Concealment Scale (SOCS) is a widely used brief measure assessing sexual orientation concealment. Although the SOCS has been used with diverse cisgender populations, its validity for nonbinary people, including those of varied racial/ethnic backgrounds and sexual orientations, remains unknown. Based on data from an international sample of 340 nonbinary LGBTQ+ individuals, the present study reports the findings of a confirmatory factor analysis to assess the one-factor structure and validity of the SOCS, as well as measurement invariance by racial/ethnic identity (i.e. white and Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour [BIPOC]) and sexual orientation (i.e. monosexual, bi+, and queer). The model fit the data well for the one-factor solution, and we observed partial scalar invariance by racial/ethnic identity and sexual orientation. These findings indicate that the SOCS is valid for use with nonbinary people and provide preliminary support for its use across racial/ethnic and sexual orientation groups. We outline implications for future investigation to increase the cohesion of this body of work, and for clinical practice with nonbinary people.