Meaning-making capacity and the dynamics of lesbian college students' multiple dimensions of identity

Narrative inquiry methodology was used to investigate self-perceived identities among 10 lesbian college students. Analysis of data from in-depth, open-ended interviews revealed the role of meaning-making capacity in determining the extent to which contextual influences shaped self-perceptions of sexual orientation identity and its relationship with other identity dimensions. Strategies for increasing meaning-making capacity in the context of sexual orientation identity are discussed.