Date of Graduation

Summer 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Department

Psychology

Program

Clinical Psychology (PsyD)

First Advisor

Michelle Montagno, Psy.D

Second Advisor

Mankit Li, Psy.D

Third Advisor

Joyce Yang, PhD

Abstract

There has been a growing number of Asian Americans who openly identify as queer, with over half a million residing in the United States (UCLA, 2021). Despite this, psychological research has paid limited attention to how queer and Asian American identities intersect and are integrated, often framing them as conflicting while overlooking culturally embedded meaning-making processes. The present study explored identity formation among cisgender queer East Asian Americans during the critical period of coming out to family, focusing on how their understanding of and relationship to their queer and ethnic identities shifted following disclosure.

Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven cisgender queer East Asian American adults who had come out to at least one parent within the past five years. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), resulting in four overarching themes: (1) Postponing Disclosure, (2) Acculturation Influences on Ethnic Identity, (3) Factors Influencing Attitudes Toward Queer Identity, and (4) Factors Impacting Identity Integration. Findings indicated that coming out did not destabilize participants’ queer identities, which were described as stable and continuous. Instead, disclosure prompted a renegotiation of participants’ relationships with their ethnic identities as they navigated cultural values, family expectations, and varying responses to disclosure. Participants often experienced their identities as compartmentalized, with ongoing efforts toward integration. These findings underscore identity development as a dynamic, relational process shaped by cultural and familial contexts.

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