Untangling the Dynamic Links between Internalized Homophobia and Community Connectedness: A Three-Wave Cross-Lagged Panel Network Analysis of LGB Adults

Background: Internalized homophobia (IH) remains a significant psychological stressor for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals, while community connectedness is often viewed as a key protective resource. Although prior research has linked higher IH to weaker community ties and stronger community connectedness to lower internalized stigma, most studies have relied on cross-sectional or construct-level approaches. As a result, little is known about how specific components of IH and community connectedness influence one another over time. This study examined their dynamic, bidirectional associations at the component level.

Methods: Data were drawn from three waves of the U.S. Generations Study, a nationally representative longitudinal study of cisgender LGB adults. The analytic sample included 616 participants who completed all three waves. IH was assessed with five items and community connectedness with seven items. Cross-lagged panel network (CLPN) analysis was used to estimate autoregressive and cross-lagged associations among individual components across adjacent waves, adjusting for age, sex assigned at birth, race, education, and employment status. Expected influence and bridge expected influence were used to identify the most influential and cross-domain linking components.

Results: The findings revealed bidirectional but asymmetrical associations between IH and community connectedness. Specific IH components, particularly orientation change, personal shortcoming, and heterosexual desire, consistently predicted subsequent reductions in community engagement, including community bond, positive participation, and pride. In contrast, some community connectedness components, especially community belonging, positive participation, and political activism, predicted later reductions in IH, although these effects were less consistent across time. Bridge centrality analyses further identified rejection of LGB identity, personal shortcoming, heterosexual desire, and orientation change as key components linking psychological vulnerability and social disengagement.

Implications: These findings suggest that IH and community connectedness operate as a dynamic system rather than as isolated constructs. Interventions may be more effective when they target specific stigma-related beliefs that disrupt community engagement while also strengthening meaningful forms of community participation. For social work research and practice, the study highlights the value of component-level longitudinal approaches for identifying leverage points to reduce internalized stigma and promote resilience among sexual minority populations.