Dating Violence Victimization and Self-Concealment Among Korean LGB Individuals: The Role of Internalized Homophobia and Three Types of Social Support Networks

Background and Purpose: Dating violence has far-reaching consequences for LGB victims, leading to deterioration in their psychological well-being. Particularly, studies have shed light on the particular minority-stress factors significantly associated with dating violence victimization, such as self-concealment, internalized homophobia, and social support networks. Despite the growing literature, gaps remain in understanding how dating violence victimization among LGB individuals operates in the non-West contexts, particularly regarding the extent to which social support networks are limited to emotional aspects. Thus, this study aims to explore the specific mechanisms of dating violence victimization on self-concealment among the Korean LGB population, focusing on the role of internalized homophobia and three types of social support networks (financial, physical, and emotional).

Methods: Data was collected online in 2023, and 206 responses from adult Korean LGB individuals were used for analysis. The participants were predominantly aged in their 20s (58.7%), identified as women (57.3%), and identified as homosexual (71.8%). Dating violence victimization (DVV) was measured using the adapted Dating Violence Victimization Scale (22 items; Cronbach’s α=.94). Self-concealment (SC) was assessed with a cross-culturally adapted scale (10 items; Cronbach’s α=.90). For the mediator, internalized homophobia (IH) was measured with an adapted Korean version scale (9 items; Cronbach’s α=.85). Additionally, each of the three types of social support networks was included as a moderator (W₁, W₂, W₃) in every pathway of the mediation model, assessed using a single-item measure from the national Korea Social Integration Survey (5-point Likert scale). Nine demographic covariates were included in each model. Process Macro v4.3, bootstrapped with 5,000 samples (p<.05), was utilized for analysis.

Results: Results showed that IH significantly mediated the association between DVV and SC (β=-.0550, S.E=.0248, 95% CI[-.1095, -.0102]). Among the three types of moderators, the model with the financial support network (W₁) significantly moderated the association between DVV and SC (β=.43, p<.05), while the model with the emotional support network (W₃) showed a significant moderation effect between IH and SC (β=.15, p<.05). However, while the two models demonstrated moderation effects, they did lead to moderated mediation effects. Also, the model with the physical support network (W₂) showed no significant moderation or moderated mediation effects.

Conclusions and Implications: The findings suggest that higher levels of DVV among Korean LGB individuals are associated with higher IH, which in turn contributes to lower levels of SC. This contrasts with Western-based findings, where IH acts as a trigger for adverse psychological outcomes, such as increased SC. Moreover, the findings indicate that financial and emotional support networks play distinct roles in these associations. Specifically, greater financial support networks strengthened the association between DVV and SC, while stronger emotional support networks buffered the link between IH and SC. Altogether, the findings imply that considering the different roles of social support networks should be a priority when devising culturally tailored interventions for Korean LGB individuals. Programs targeting dating violence victims should incorporate strategies that foster emotional support while being mindful of the complex ways financial support may affect coping mechanisms.