Published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology which is run by the American Psychological Association, the article looked particularly at the wellness of bisexual men who were living heterosexual lives without disclosing that they also have sexual attraction to other men. This group has not previously been studied and the research was carried out by talking to a group of 203 men in New York City who were bisexual but had not disclosed this information to a female partner.
Whilst all the men in the study concealed their homosexual sexual encounters, the degree of the concealment varied. Those who had low frequency of sex with male partners and frequent sex with their female partner were seen to conceal this side to their behaviour to a greater degree. A higher income bracket also led to greater concealment.
The effect of this level of concealment on behaviourally bisexual men could be very damaging to their emotional wellbeing, as keeping such a major aspect to their lives secret can be an extreme strain. Only 41 percent of the men studied had told anybody at all about their sexual relationships with men. Unfortunately, even those who had chosen to confide in one or two people suffered from the same mental health problems – only widespread disclosure and acceptance was associated with lower risk of mental health problems.
Associated mental health problems may include depression, low self-esteem, anxiety and internalised homophobia, i.e. a very negative attitude about indulging in same-sex relationships.