Questioning Gender and Sexual Identity in the Context of Self-Concept Clarity, Sense of Coherence and Value System

Sexual and gender identity is a fundamental part of one’s overall identity and plays an important role in human functioning. Questioning one’s sexuality associated with low level of self-concept clarity, certainty, consistency and stability with regard to the individual’s beliefs about oneself, can affect their sense of coherence and value system. The aim of the study was to compare heterosexual and cisgender people with non-heteronormative and non-cisgender people regarding their attitudes and the way they perceive significant personal values. It was assumed that non-heterosexual and non-cisgender individuals would have lower self-concept clarity and lower sense of coherence, and that among them such values as openness to change and transcending Self would be dominant. The study was conducted on a group of 337 individuals aged 18 to 30. The participants filled out four self-report online questionnaires. Self-concept clarity was found to be connected with a greater tendency to question one’s sexual and gender identity. The results also indicate differences between heterosexual/cisgender participants and non-heterosexual/non-cisgender participants in terms of the degree of self-concept clarity and sense of coherence. Non-heteronormative and cisgender individuals show a greater tendency to question their identity and have lower self-concept clarity, which may lower their sense of coherence.