Contemporary Issues in Sexual Orientation and Identity Development in Emerging Adulthood

Mapping Intimacies ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199795574.013.006 ◽

2014 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elizabeth M. Morgan

Keyword(s):

Sexual Orientation ◽

Identity Development ◽

Emerging Adulthood ◽

Sexual Identity ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

Developmental Trajectories ◽

Empirical Literature ◽

Sexual Identity Development ◽

The Past ◽

Attention To Diversity

Emerging adulthood presents a unique developmental milieu for sexual orientation and identity development. Over the past 10 years, a body of research has begun delineating contemporary emerging adults’ understandings of their sexual orientation and processes of sexual identity development. This scholarship has increasingly recognized the complexity and multidimensional nature of sexual identity development among both heterosexual and sexual-minority individuals. This review covers current conceptualizations of sexual orientation and identity, traditional and contemporary models of sexual identity development, and recent empirical literature assessing developmental trajectories, consistency between and within dimensions of sexual orientation and identity, stability of these dimensions, and issues of sexual identity labeling and categorization. This scholarship suggests that increased attention to diversity within and between sexual identity groups is warranted but also reveals notable patterns and categories that should be considered as the field moves forward.

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Sexual Identity in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning Emerging Adults: The Role of Parental Rejection, and Sexuality Specific Family Support

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/0192513x211050063 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0192513X2110500

Author(s):

Ashley B. Taylor ◽

Tricia K. Neppl

Keyword(s):

Identity Development ◽

Sexual Identity ◽

Family Support ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

Parental Rejection ◽

Sexual Identity Development ◽

Future Directions ◽

Participant Gender ◽

Midwestern University

The present study provides critical contributions to the study of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) emerging adults by examining the role of family and sexuality specific family support, as well as the moderating effect of gender, on sexual identity development. Specifically, the role of mother and father rejection and sexuality specific family support on both affirmed identity and identity struggles of students were assessed. Using a sample of 338 LGBTQ emerging adults at a midwestern University, findings illustrate that for sexual identity development, mother and father parental rejection positively influenced identity struggles while sexuality specific family support positively influenced affirmed identity. Also, moderation by participant gender was not supported. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

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Intersectionality and Identity Configurations: A Qualitative Study Exploring Sexual Identity Development Among Emerging Adults Within the United States

Emerging Adulthood ◽

10.1177/2167696820946597 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 216769682094659 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Joshua G. Parmenter ◽

Renee V. Galliher ◽

Ashley C. Yaugher ◽

Adam D. A. Maughan

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Identity Development ◽

Identity Formation ◽

Sexual Identity ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

Sexual Minority ◽

The United States ◽

Identity Conflict ◽

Sexual Identity Development ◽

Individual Interviews

Although modern comprehensive conceptual models of sexual identity development acknowledge contextual factors, existing models have placed less emphasis on (a) the influence of multiple domains of identity on sexual identity formation and (b) centrality and negotiation of various domains of identity. The present study sought to explore processes, identity conflicts, and management of sexual identity relative to other identity domains among sexual minority emerging adults in the United States. Fourteen sexual minority emerging adults (20–25 years) with a diverse array of identities participated in semistructured individual interviews, and five participants engaged in two follow-up focus groups. Findings supported two broad categories with subthemes: identity conflict (unaffirming and oppressive contexts, lack of resources to explore identity) and identity coherence (resources used to manage and facilitate identity coherence; acceptance, affirmation, and harmony; and centrality and salience of sexual identity within identity configurations). Findings have implications for the study of sexual identity development within the context of other domains of identity.

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