A Longitudinal Study of Forgiveness and Post-Disclosure Experience in Mixed Orientation Couples

Mixed-orientation couples (MOC) are under-represented in the literature. Often when sexual minorities disclose their sexual orientation it is a stressful experience for their spouse who progresses through stages and experiences both negative and supportive responses as they address disclosure-related issues. Participants completed an online survey and then repeated the same process a year later to measure changes in forgiveness and experience. Forgiveness was shown to play a role in how spouses progress through the post-disclosure stages. In addition, forward movement was seen in both forgiveness and stages over the course of one year. Implications for therapy with MOC are discussed.