Existing quantitative research on sexual orientation and life satisfaction uses models with control variables that do not have a clear rationale. With a correct understanding of what control variables do, no controls are necessary to estimate the consequences of sexual orientation on life satisfaction. An analysis constructed from this perspective reveals gay and bisexual men in the UK and Australia are less satisfied with their lives (relative to heterosexual men). Bisexual women in both countries are less satisfied as well. Lesbians in Australia are less satisfied (relative to straight women) – but lesbians in the UK do not have lower satisfaction. These conclusions hold also in an analysis that considers the possibility that some non-heterosexual people might be unwilling to disclose their sexual orientation on surveys.

现有的关于性取向和生活满意度的定量研究使用的模型中的控制变量没有明确的依据。正确了解控制变量的作用后，就无需进行任何控制来估计性取向对生活满意度的影响。从这个角度进行的分析表明，英国和澳大利亚的同性恋者和双性恋者对生活的满意度较低（相对于异性恋者而言）。两国的双性恋女性也不太满意。澳大利亚的女同性恋者满意度较低（相对于异性恋女性而言），但英国的女同性恋者满意度并不低。这些结论还存在于一项分析中，该分析考虑了一些非异性恋者可能不愿意在调查中透露其性取向的可能性。